Washington: Two top American lawmakers have asked US President Barack Obama to withhold all aid to Pakistan until the country releases a doctor who helped the CIA track Osama bin Laden.
"Until Dr (Shakil) Afridi is released from prison, we urge you to withhold all unallocated foreign assistance money for Pakistan remaining for this fiscal year. We must send a message not only to Pakistan but to any other countries seeking to use American taxpayer dollars to subsidise their subversion of America`s global priorities," Senator Rand Paul and Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, said in a letter to Obama.
A copy of the letter was released to the press yesterday.
Through the use of a door-to-door vaccination drive, Afridi bravely assisted US intelligence services in identifying the residents of the Abbottabad complex which was later confirmed to be the home of bin Laden, the two Congressmen said.
"For his work in supporting the successful search for Osama bin Laden, Dr Afridi deserves our appreciation. Unfortunately, the government of Pakistan has made it a point to punish Dr Afridi for helping to expose Osama bin Laden’s Pakistan hideout in the most severe manner possible," they said.
They said in response to this situation, they would be proposing legislation to withhold all foreign assistance money to the government of Pakistan until Dr Afridi is released.
PTI
