Osama bin Laden's killing: Presidential pardon could be sought for Dr Afridi, says Fatemi

Osama bin Laden's killing: Presidential pardon could be sought for Dr Afridi, says Fatemi

Islamabad (Web Desk): Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi has said that Pakistan want to discuss Shakil Afridi’s issue with President-elect Donald Trump’s administration.

Shakil Afridi, who ran a fake polio compaign to help the United States track down Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, is serving 33 years of jail term on treason charges.

“Pakistan would be willing to look at how we could move forward in a resolution of this problem,” Tariq Fatemi told VOA’s Urdu service. “We are not holding on to Dr. Shakil Afridi because of some personal animosity,” he maintained.

Fatemi told VOA that a presidential pardon could be sought for the doctor under Pakistani laws but only after judicial proceedings are concluded.

During his election campaign, Trump told Fox News that if elected he would get Afridi out of the jail “in two minutes.”