Doctor Who Helped Track Osama Bin Laden ‘Not A Hero’: Pakistan

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan hastold the US that Shakil Afridi,the jailed doctor who helpedthe CIA track al-Qaida chief Osamabin Laden, is not ahero and his fate willbe decided by thecourts.Foreign secretaryJalil Abbas Jilani saidPakistan had told theUS that Afridi wasinvolved in “criminalactivities” that violated thelaws of the land.Addressing a news briefing inWashington on Prime MinisterNawaz Sharif’s ongoing visit tothe US, Jilani said the doctorwas “not a hero and was facingcases in courts”.Pakistan also told the US thatthe Lashkar-e-Taiba had beenbanned and action could betaken against its founder,HafizMohammad Saeed, if substantialevidence is made available,he said.Responding to questions afterthe US house committee onforeign affairs demanded therelease of Afridi,Jilani said that thePakistani courtswould decide his fate.The demand forAfridi’s release wasraised during a meetingbetween the UShouse committee anda Pakistani delegationthat included financeminister Ishaq Dar, Jilani andSartaj Aziz, the premier’sadviser on foreign affairs andnational security.