Dr Shakil Afridi’s lawyer flees after threats

Reuters Published December 11, 2013

PESHAWAR: The lawyer for Dr Shakil Afridi, who helped the United States track down Osama bin Laden, has fled Pakistan after receiving threats from militants, relatives said on Wednesday.

Lawyer Samiullah Afridi went abroad after militants threatened to blow up his car and kill his family, a relative said.

“We cannot disclose the country he left for due to security threats to his life,” the relative said, asking for anonymity because he was also scared of militants.

“Militants warned him to stop pleading the case or else he and his family would face the consequences.”

Lawyer Afridi represented Dr Shakil Afridi, who ran a fake vaccination campaign to try to help US officials find al Qaeda chief bin laden.

Afridi was arrested after US special forces killed bin Laden in May 2011 in the town of Abbottabad. The secret raid outraged Pakistan and strained relations between the allies.

Following the arrest, he was sentenced to 33 years in jail for membership of militant group Laskhar-e-Islam, an accusation he denies.

But in August, Pakistan overturned his conviction, citing procedural errors and ordering a retrial.

Now the doctor faces murder charges relating to the death of a patient eight years ago. A judgment is expected on December18.

Samiullah Afridi is the second member of the legal team to flee following militant threats.

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Ahmer

Dec 11, 2013 10:23pm

Threat to him and his family? A cheap trick to get a foreign asylum.

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Hasan,SZ

Dec 11, 2013 10:37pm

That is the safest way to the "Greener pastures" ! Run baby run !

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independentthinker

Dec 12, 2013 02:27am

Considering it is a high profile case, you would assume the government will provide security to the defendant and his legal team, in order to get proper justice. Dr. Afridi is a medical doctor and not a lawyer - unless he gets himself a competent lawyer who can properly defend him and protect his rights, how can justice be served? On the other hand, I am almost confident, with the pressure from the United States, the end result would be that Dr. Afridi will be freed - after all, there are billions of dollars of aid, that are at stake! Having said that, I still feel lawyers should be provided security, in order for them to do their job.

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syed

Dec 12, 2013 05:19am

well you were representing Afridi, what else you expected? that's right... when the going gets tough... cut and run !!!

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Joe

Dec 13, 2013 10:27pm

@syed: (Quoting you): "when the going gets tough... cut and run !!!" (end quote) Such a cynical reaction. You could just as well write those same words about the government's inaction in such matters. It seems continually frozen in place, unable to protect its own citizens. A government's primary responsibility should be to protect people who are simply trying to do their jobs, and their families. If you're not convinced, read the other news articles appearing together on the same day with this one. Two soldiers killed by "militants". One polio worker killed, along with two policemen trying to protect him, all three innocent people, trying to do their jobs, killed by "militants". What a sad situation.

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Alex Chander

Dec 14, 2013 09:57pm

I use to run a hostel for the asylum seekers in the UK. The lies that they told to stay in that country were out of this world. They would tell me the truth once they got to know me better. Its an easy way to get asylum if you tell them your lifes in danger.Hundreds of thousands have fooled them giving our country a bad name than it already has. We are a nation with no morals or self respect.

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