Al Jazeera News :
Pakistan’s foreign ministry has ruled out the possibility of a “prisoner swap” with the United States for Shakil Afridi, a Pakistani doctor who helped the CIA track down al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden to a compound in the north of the country.
The denial came in response to Pakistani media reports that Afridi was either being prepared for a prisoner exchange or was facing security risks, following his recent transfer to a different prison.
“I am not aware of any deal regarding Dr Shakil Afridi,” said Pakistani foreign ministry spokesperson Muhammad Faisal at a press briefing on Thursday.
“On behalf of [the foreign ministry], I can assure you that he is not being handed over to US.”
Afridi has been in Pakistani custody since 2011, and was convicted the following year by a tribunal to 33 years in prison for aiding the Lashkar-e-Islam armed group, his lawyer, Qamar Nadeem, told Al Jazeera.
Afridi has denied the charges and is in the process of appealing the verdict. His sentence was reduced to 23 years in 2014, his lawyer said. No charges have been brought against him regarding his aiding the CIA in administering fake vaccinations to members of bin Laden’s family in the northern city of Abbottabad in order to confirm their identities.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry has ruled out the possibility of a “prisoner swap” with the United States for Shakil Afridi, a Pakistani doctor who helped the CIA track down al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden to a compound in the north of the country.
The denial came in response to Pakistani media reports that Afridi was either being prepared for a prisoner exchange or was facing security risks, following his recent transfer to a different prison.
“I am not aware of any deal regarding Dr Shakil Afridi,” said Pakistani foreign ministry spokesperson Muhammad Faisal at a press briefing on Thursday.
“On behalf of [the foreign ministry], I can assure you that he is not being handed over to US.”
Afridi has been in Pakistani custody since 2011, and was convicted the following year by a tribunal to 33 years in prison for aiding the Lashkar-e-Islam armed group, his lawyer, Qamar Nadeem, told Al Jazeera.
Afridi has denied the charges and is in the process of appealing the verdict. His sentence was reduced to 23 years in 2014, his lawyer said. No charges have been brought against him regarding his aiding the CIA in administering fake vaccinations to members of bin Laden’s family in the northern city of Abbottabad in order to confirm their identities.
