Re: Dr Afridi gets 33 years imprisonment
I am very confused about this whole affair. On one hand the doctor did a service to Pakistan. But on the other hand the way he did it was highly controversial.
Re: Dr Afridi gets 33 years imprisonment
It seems Pakistan is punishing the Doctor for treason (for finding bin laden). But what about finding the people responsible for keeping bin laden in hiding (or is that not important)
The world press is giving Pakistan "a thums down".
There is more to this story, than what has been let out.
Re: Dr Afridi gets 33 years imprisonment
No, they tried him because the FATA is governed by British-written laws (Frontier Crimes Regulations) that state that the punishment for treason is jail. If he was tried outside of the FATA, the only punishment that a judge can give for treason is execution under the Pakistan Criminal Code that exists in the rest of the country.
Thanks for bringing this difference in my notice. As far as ordinary courts are concerned I believe he might have been acquitted because of the evidence laws.
Re: Dr Afridi gets 33 years imprisonment
well, why couldnt he pass on the information to Pakistani authorities? had he given the information, this wouldnt have happened!
plus, why is it he was not tried under the Pakistani courts? I think if Pakistani courts had tried him, he would have faced death sentence!
Re: Dr Afridi gets 33 years imprisonment
Those who think Afridi did anything wrong, please answer:
Ratko Mladic is a Serbian war criminal who killed many Bosnian Muslims. He is wanted in Hague on charges of war crimes. Suppose Mladic is hiding in UK illegally. British government has also given their words to look for Mladic and if found, hand him over to Hague for trial.
Now, if you were British and if Court in Hague employs you to find and report his whereabouts in UK, then would it be treacherous of you to accept such employment? Further, during employment, if you found Mladic whereabouts in UK so you reported his whereabouts to Hague, than should you be considered traitor to UK?
I do not think so.
Well ... Whoever considers Afridi a traitor or even criminal, please read and think:
If a Saudi who is wanted in Pakistan on criminal charges is hiding in UK illegally and British government told Pakistan that they would look for him and if they (British government) would find him then they would arrest him and would hand him over to Pakistan. Saudi government also given consent of his arrest and also agreed with Pakistan that if this Saudi criminal is found, Pakistan can take him to Pakistan and put him on trial.
Now, if Pakistan employs a British person to look for this wanted criminal in UK and report about his whereabouts to Pakistan, and if that British person agrees to that, then finds him and reported his whereabouts to Pakistan, then would that British would be traitor to UK?
I do not think so and I think anyone with sensible mind would not think so.
That is what happened in case of OBL and Afridi.
OBL a Saudi national hiding in Pakistan was wanted by USA on criminal charges. Pakistan government agreed to arresting him if found and handing him over to USA. Saudi government also gave their consent and agreed to it.
With this situation, America employed Afridi to find his whereabouts and report to USA. That is what Afridi did. Found OBL whereabouts and reported to USA. Can’t see any wrong in that nor any treacherous act towards Pakistan (or any country).
Actually, many German Nazi criminals/murderers wanted in USA/Isreal who were hiding in different countries were found this way and whoever found them and reported their whereabouts to USA and/or Israel got money, plus no one in world consider those who found and reported Nazi criminals to USA/Israel as traitor, so why Afridi?
Re: Dr Afridi gets 33 years imprisonment
look what this crazy guy **US Congressman Dana Rohrabacher **is saying
US Congressman Dana Rohrabacher said that Dr Shakil Afridi’s prison sentence is “decisive proof that Pakistan sees itself as being at war” with the US.
In a press statement, Republican Rep. Rohrbacher said, “there is no shared interest against Islamic terrorism. On 9/11, Pakistan was coordinating the efforts of the Taliban who were in league with Osama bin Laden. In 2012, Pakistan is still working very closely with the Taliban, whose leader Mullah Omar was plotting with Bin Laden right up until he was killed, according to documents taken from Bin Laden’s Pakistan home. Pakistan was and remains a terrorist state.”
Rep. Rohrabacher, who is also the chairman for the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, had earlier this year introduced two bills calling for Afridi to be given US citizenship, and that he be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.
The press release said that the US congressman was “dismayed” that the bill had not been brought to the House floor for a vote. “Dr Afridi came through for the American people, now it is our time to come through for him.”
“Advocates of aid argue we should draw a distinction between the civilian government and the military-intelligence cabal who are supporting terrorist groups that murder Americans, but President [Asif Ali] Zardari’s behavior at the Nato summit in Chicago indicates that he is either in league with the military or under their domination. Any money that goes to Islamabad will continue to end up in the pockets of people actively and deadly hostile to America.
“Secretary Clinton will have to do more than voice protests over the Afridi case. Both the Departments of State and Defense need to take punitive actions against Pakistan. Carrots are not enough when dealing with an adversary. Sticks are needed to prove we are serious. Cutting off aid to the regime while providing support to groups like the Balochi people who are oppressed by Islamabad will send a message that it doesn’t pay to confront America,” said Rep. Rohrabacher.
“Pakistan was invited to the Nato summit to foster cooperation, but no cooperation was evident. Pakistan is still keeping supply lines to Nato forces in Afghanistan blocked. As Nato withdraws, Pakistan** sees its chance to increase its use of terrorist groups as its vanguard for taking over Afghanistan and spreading radical Islam throughout the region. We need to enlist Russia and India to support anti-Pakistan forces in Afghanistan such as the Northern Alliance. The Taliban is only the tip of the spear, the real enemy is Pakistan,” **he added.
Verdict reaction: US sees no reason for Shakil Afridi to be held – The Express Tribune
I wonder why our media gives this guy any attention!
Re: Dr Afridi gets 33 years imprisonment
^ the same guy was instrumental in trying to get American citizenship for Afridi.
Re: Dr Afridi gets 33 years imprisonment
It seems Pakistan is punishing the Doctor for treason (for finding bin laden).
No. The punishment is for working with a foreign intelligence agency. No country in the world likes any citizen spying for foreigners and providing them information without the country knowing anything about it.
Re: Dr Afridi gets 33 years imprisonment
With this situation, America employed Afridi to find his whereabouts and report to USA. That is what Afridi did. Found OBL whereabouts and reported to USA.
He did all that without informing anyone in Pakistan. He became a spy.
And the method he used has made every vaccination campaign dubious in the eyes of people.
Re: Dr Afridi gets 33 years imprisonment
US says no basis to charge Dr. Shakeel Afridi - geo.tv
**WASHINGTON: The US State Department said that Pakistan had no basis to hold or charge a surgeon who was sentenced Wednesday to 33 years in prison for helping in the hunt for Osama bin Laden.
**The court in Khyber convicted surgeon Shakeel Afridi of treason after he agreed to collect DNA for US intelligence to verify the presence of the most-wanted Al-Qaeda leader.
**State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland recalled that both US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta had earlier raised concerns with Pakistan about the doctor’s case.
**
**“Our views on it haven’t changed. We continue to see no basis for Dr. Afridi to be held,” Nuland said. “We will continue to make those representations to the government of Pakistan.”
**
When asked why she only referred to Afridi’s charges and did not acknowledge his actual conviction and sentencing, Nuland said: “It’s not clear that the legal process is over, OK? There may be other options for him legally.”
Her muted remarks came as Washington and Islamabad, allies in the war on terror, struggle to repair ties that hit a low when US forces staged a secret raid into Pakistan that killed bin Laden in May last year.
They were strained to breaking point in November when US forces staged a botched raid that killed 24 Pakistani troops, prompting Islamabad to cut off the land route for supplies to NATO troops in neighboring Afghanistan. (AFP)
Re: Dr Afridi gets 33 years imprisonment
Well i say good call by court to convict for treason. As a citizen his first duty was to inform Pakistani security agencies. So good call. Now lets hope our PM gets convicted as well.
Re: Dr Afridi gets 33 years imprisonment
He did all that without informing anyone in Pakistan. He became a spy. And the method he used has made every vaccination campaign dubious in the eyes of people.
Khoji: Afridi is not my relative that I am defending him. What is right is right, and I would have said same if instead of Afridi it was you or anyone. I believe Afridi became soft target of Pakistan authority’s incompetency and problem in relationship with USA.
To me, Afridi is not traitor as he was not working against the interest of Pakistan. Actually, what Afridi did is that he found out whereabouts of OBL and informed USA. That is all. What method he used to get the information is irrelevant, as using that method if he had not found whereabouts of OBL than no one would have even questioned him or what he was doing. Actually, even when he had found the whereabouts of OBL but American operation was along with Pakistan armed forces then also there would have been no problem.
I believe many Pakistanis are already doing what Afridi did, informing USA about whereabouts of Miscreants whom USA then attack using Drone. Most of the time, it is Pakistan army who are doing that, informing USA about miscreants whereabouts and cooperating with USA in trying to eliminate these miscreants.
Problem with OBL operation by USA was not that Afridi told Americans about OBL whereabouts. Problem was USA action on that information. If USA had told to Pakistan what they learned from Afridi and done operation in coordination and cooperation of Pakistan army then there would have been no problem.
Anyhow, after getting the information (note: after getting the information) USA decided to act on their own mistrusting Pakistan army due to incompetency of Pakistan army in American opinion or maybe because American feared that there are OBL sympathisers in Pakistan army who may have sabotaged the operation. Sabotage because officially Pakistan would not have stopped American going through the operation.
Thus, the problem for which Afridi is made victim is, mistrust between Americans and Pakistan armed forces. That is all.
In my view, if Pakistan is upset of American actions against OBL then instead of victimising soft target like Afridi, Pakistan should complain with USA regarding why USA mistrust Pakistan or acted against OBL without Pakistani consent, but obviously Pakistan should not victimise soft target like Afridi.
Re: Dr Afridi gets 33 years imprisonment
Look at double standard in Pakistan … Amal Kansi Vs OBL:
Arrest of Amal Kansi: The bloke who got Amal Kansi arrested did worse then what Afridi did, as he got someone arrested who was Pakistani, not foreigner (like OBL). Informer did not contacted Pakistan authority but USA directly and also acted continuously on American direction (even when he was not employed by USA). But the person instead of getting declared traitor, not only got multi-million dollars reward from USA and praises from Nawaz Shareef, but even his name is protected.
Why double standard?
Here is story of Amal Kansi arrest (from Wikipedia … but a person can search other sources too and would find similar story):
Aimal Kasi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Capture and rendition: In May 1997, an **informant walked into the **(List of diplomatic missions of the United States - Wikipedia) in Karachi and claimed he could help lead them to Kasi. As proof, he showed a copy of a driver license application made by Kasi under a false name but bearing his photograph. Apparently, the people who had been sheltering Kasi were now prepared to accept the multi-million dollar reward offer for his capture. Kasi stated “I want to make it clear (that) the people who tricked me … were Pushtuns, they were owners of land in the Leghari and Khosa clan areas in Dera Ghazi Khan, but I will never name them.”[SUP][9]](Mir Aimal Kansi - Wikipedia)[/SUP]
Kasi was in the dangerous Durand Line border region, so the informant was told to lure Kasi into Pakistan where he could be more easily apprehended. Kasi was tempted with a lucrative business offer—smuggling Russian electronic goods into Pakistan—which brought him to Dera Ghazi Khan, in the Punjab province of Pakistan, where he checked into a room at Shalimar Hotel.[SUP][9]](Mir Aimal Kansi - Wikipedia)[/SUP]
At 4 a.m. on the morning of June 15, 1997, an armed team of FBI agents, working with the Pakistani ISI, raided Kasi’s hotel room. His fingerprints were taken on the scene, confirming his identity.
There is some dispute over where Kasi was taken next—US authorities claim it was a holding facility run by Pakistani authorities,[SUP][4]](Mir Aimal Kansi - Wikipedia)[/SUP]while Pakistani sources claim it was the (Embassy of the United States, Islamabad - Wikipedia)[SUP][9]](Mir Aimal Kansi - Wikipedia)[/SUP] — before being flown to the US on June 17 in a C-141transport.[SUP][4]](Mir Aimal Kansi - Wikipedia)[10]](Mir Aimal Kansi - Wikipedia)[/SUP] During the flight, Kasi made a full oral and written confession to the FBI.[SUP][4]](Mir Aimal Kansi - Wikipedia)[/SUP]
Nawaz Shareef government statement on Amal Kansi arrest and handing over to USA.
One should note that once Amal Kansi got arrest, Pakistan government of Nawaz Shareef helped America in every way to send kansi to USA. Here is 22[SUP]nd[/SUP] June 1997 news report (kansi got arrested on 15[SUP]th[/SUP] June) on what Nawaz Shareef advisor and minister said to media:
DAWN WIRE SERVICE : 28 Jun3 1997 Issue : 03/26
Action taken to protect national interests
Staff Correspondent
ISLAMABAD, June 22: The prime minister’s adviser for information and culture, Mushahid Hussain Sayed, said that the Kansi affair was a sensitive one and cautioned against exploiting it for political motives.
In a briefing on the arrest of Aimal Kansi, he told reporters that Pakistan’s priorities were very clear. “We will not give protection to any person said to be engaged in terrorism since this can be only hurting the interests of Pakistan.”
The PM’s adviser described Aimal Kansi’s case as that of a fugitive wanted for a criminal act in a “friendly country”. Mushahid made it clear that Kansi was wanted for the killing of two employees of the CIA in Washington
in Jan 1993. Since then, he said, he was on the run as a fugitive from justice and he was said to have taken refuge in either Afghanistan or Pakistan.
He said during the last four years, several raids were conducted to arrest Kansi but he had managed to escape. “Given this context, Pakistan had no responsibility either for his actions in the United States or for providing him any sort of protection against the law,” he said.
Mushahid Hussain said there was no question of Kansi being some sort of a hero. “He is simply a fugitive from justice, wanted for a crime that he is alleged to have committed in the United States.” He said those who talked of national honor were quiet when in similar circumstances, Ramzi Yousif was picked up by the United States or when Benazir Bhutto, as prime minister, admitted providing assistance to India in suppressing the Sikh insurgency, in her interview to BBC.
The adviser said on issues such as terrorism, Pakistan could not operate in isolation. The government, he said, had to promote and protect the national interest and in this regard, its priorities were very clear.
Mushahid emphasized that Pakistan “cannot harbor or protect an alleged terrorist since its primary commitment is to protect all its law-abiding citizens and ensure that it can pursue policies that effectively promote, protect and project the cause of the people of the occupied Jammu and Kashmir.”
Re: Dr Afridi gets 33 years imprisonment
I think they should make a deal with the US & handed him over to them. In fact, I think they should try to exchange him for Aafia Siddiqui.
Btw, Pakistan is in no position to take on the US & the longer this thing goes on...its going to be bad for Pakistan. The US Congress already voted to cut most of the money going to Pakistan today.
Re: Dr Afridi gets 33 years imprisonment
You are talking about double standards, while I readily doubt whether Pakistan’s elite has any standards. 
Such a fragmented society, there are terrorist/islamists sympathizers everywhere from government to military, judiciary to regular pandays (read: Joes). And much more than that we have dollar sympathizers up top. It’s a free-for-all, multiple choice trip once you reach the top in Pakistan. Elite can side with whoever they fancy.
Of course, not all are like this, there are bound to be some good souls too. But they are either too few, or too scattered.
Re: Dr Afridi gets 33 years imprisonment
By assisting the Americans, Dr Afridi may have hoped he would be rewarded a life of luxury in USA.
May not be surprise me, if the Americans try to rescue him with an overnight raid on Peshawar jail and the Pakistani security forces are unlikely to know about it or even attempt stop it if it did take place.
I cant see him in prison for 33 years, there will be a way out for him.
Re: Dr Afridi gets 33 years imprisonment
I cant see him in prison for 33 years, there will be a way out for him.
The fact that he was tried in the FATA system rather than the Pakistani system means that the establishment wants to keep him alive. He's going to be some kind of bargaining chip, there will be a concession extracted for his release to the US for his reward.
Re: Dr Afridi gets 33 years imprisonment
I agree with Mad Scientist, seems like they are going to use him as a bargaining chip, otherwise why didnt they tried him under Pakistani courts!!??
Re: Dr Afridi gets 33 years imprisonment
**ISLAMABAD: The United States should respect a Pakistan court’s decision to imprison Dr Shakil Afridi, a doctor accused of helping the CIA find Osama bin Laden, the foreign ministry spokesman said on Thursday. **“I think as far as the case of Afridi is concerned, it was in accordance with Pakistani laws and by the Pakistani courts, and we need to respect each other’s legal processes,” Moazzam Ali Khan told reporters.
US should respect decision to imprison Dr Afridi: Foreign Office – The Express Tribune
Re: Dr Afridi gets 33 years imprisonment
So he helped one set of killers (USA's gov and the CIA) in order to help them catch them another killer (OBL), both as worse as each other, and he took one killers' side in the process betraying his country.
Calling him traitor is being kind to him. He's much worse.
We have a crap gov, that is MORE of a reason to be loyal to Pakistan and to our countrymen. And not act like them.
Using the justification that just because our government is corrupt so its somehow someway okay for him to betray Pakistan is ridicolous. We might as well all turn into animals then if we're going to measure our actions by comparing ourselves to our corrupt gov.