A Pakistani delegation in the United States was met with a stern call to free Dr. Shakil Afridi, the Pakistani physician who is attributed with assisting the CIA in finding Osama bin Laden. India and the international community made the call as part of continued diplomatic efforts to respond to Pakistan’s suspected connection to terrorism following recent attacks like the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor.
US Legislators Pressure Pakistan to Release Shakil Afridi
When the delegation was visiting, a high-ranking American legislator, Brad Sherman, called on the Pakistani delegation to make it their priority to release Dr. Afridi, who is still behind bars in Pakistan. Sherman spoke about the importance of the release of Afridi as a milestone toward justice for the 9/11 victims.
“I called on the Pakistani delegation to convey to their administration the necessity of releasing Dr. Shakil Afridi, who is still in jail for assisting the United States in executing Osama Bin Laden. Releasing Dr. Afridi is a crucial step toward closure for 9/11 victims,” Sherman shared on X.
Who Is Dr. Shakil Afridi?
Dr. Afridi is a Pakistani doctor who cooperated with the CIA by running a polio vaccination drive in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to gather DNA samples of Osama bin Laden’s relatives. Pakistani forces arrested Afridi immediately after the 2011 US raid on bin Laden’s Abbottabad compound. A Pakistani court sentenced him to 33 years in prison in 2012.
Pressure to Fight Terrorism and Safeguard Minorities
The Pakistani delegation also sent strong messages to step up the fight against terror outfits, particularly Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), which was behind several fatal attacks in the region. Additionally, Sherman underscored the group’s involvement in the 2002 kidnapping and killing of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl.
“I urged the Pakistani delegation on the need to fight terrorism and specifically the outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed, which killed my constituent Daniel Pearl in 2002,” Sherman stated.
Moreover, authorities continue to view Omar Saeed Sheikh, who masterminded Pearl’s kidnapping and murder, as a symbol of the lingering security threat. Sherman called on Pakistan to “do all it can to eliminate this evil group and fight terrorism in the region,” highlighting the ongoing pressure on Islamabad to take action.
