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US bill to freeze Pak aid until Dr Afridi released
Wednesday, June 06, 2012
From Print Edition
WASHINGTON: Top United States Senator Rand Paul on Tuesday introduced legislation in the Senate seeking to freeze all foreign aid to Pakistan until the conviction of Dr Shakeel Afridi – the physician who helped the CIA trace former al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden – was overturned and the doctor released.
According to details, the bill strips Pakistan of all US foreign aid until Dr Afridi’s recent 33-year prison sentence is overturned and he is allowed to leave Pakistan.
A second bill was introduced by Paul to grant the doctor US citizenship for his efforts.
“Pakistan must understand that they are choosing the wrong side.
They accuse Dr Afridi of working against Pakistan, but he was simply helping the US capture the head of al-Qaeda,” said Paul.