ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani doctor who helped the CIA track and kill Osama bin Laden has launched a hunger strike from his prison cell, his lawyer and family said Monday.
Shakeel Afridi has been languishing behind bars for years since his fake vaccination program helped US agents track and kill the Al Qaeda leader in 2011.
“It is to protest the injustices and inhumane attitudes being committed against him and his family,” his brother Jamil Afridi told AFP after meeting with Afridi in a prison in central Punjab province.
His attorney Qamar Nadeem also confirmed the hunger strike.
Afridi was jailed for 33 years in May 2012 after he was convicted of having ties to militants, a charge he has always denied.
His sentence was later reduced by 10 years.
Some US lawmakers have branded the case as revenge for his help in the search for the Al Qaeda chief.
The 2011 killing of Bin Laden caused massive embarrassment for Pakistan and particularly its powerful military.
For years Afridi has had no access to his lawyer, while his appeal against his prison sentence has stalled with scheduled court appearances repeatedly delayed.
His family has also complained of being targeted and harassed by authorities over the years.
US President Donald Trump vowed during his election campaign that he would order Pakistan to free Afridi, but since taking office has been largely silent on the issue.
The comments sparked a blistering rebuttal from Pakistan, whose interior minister at the time branded Trump “ignorant” and stated that the “government of Pakistan and not Donald Trump” would decide Afridi’s fate.
In recent years Pakistani authorities have cracked down on nonprofits and forced them to leave the country, which analysts say was largely tied to the Afridi case due to the security establishment’s fears that NGOs have provided cover for spying.
Bin Laden doctor launches hunger strike in Pakistan
https://arab.news/2fyzq
Bin Laden doctor launches hunger strike in Pakistan
- Dr. Shakeel Afridi has been behind bars since 2012 after his fake vaccination program helped US track and kill Al Qaeda leader in 2011
- The 2011 killing of Bin Laden caused massive embarrassment for Pakistan
Pakistan deploys F-16 Block-52 jets to Saudi Arabia for multinational air combat exercise
- PAF joins US, UK, Gulf and European air forces in Spears of Victory-2026
- Deployment comes amid expanding Pakistan-Saudi defense cooperation
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Air Force has deployed F-16 Block-52 fighter aircraft to Saudi Arabia to take part in the multinational air combat exercise Spears of Victory-2026, marking a significant overseas deployment of its frontline combat jets, the military said on Monday.
The exercise is being hosted at King Abdulaziz Air Base and includes participation from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, France, Italy, Greece, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, the United Kingdom and the United States, bringing together a wide range of advanced fighter aircraft and combat support elements.
Such multinational drills are designed to test air forces in complex, high-intensity scenarios, including large force employment, night composite air operations, integrated intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, and operations in advanced electronic warfare environments. For Pakistan, participation provides exposure to contemporary combat doctrines and interoperability with leading Western and regional air forces.
“Pakistan Air Force contingent comprising F-16 Block-52 fighter aircraft, alongside dedicated air and ground crew, has arrived at King Abdulaziz Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to participate in the multinational aerial combat Exercise Spears of Victory-2026,” a PAF spokesperson said in a statement.
The statement said PAF pilots flying F-16 Block-52 aircraft equipped with modern avionics and beyond-visual-range capabilities would be “pitched against aircrew of participating Air Forces operating a wide array of sophisticated combat aircraft” during the exercise.
It added that for the international deployment, “PAF fighter aircraft undertook a non-stop flight from their home base in Pakistan to Saudi Arabia, demonstrating the long-range operational reach and expeditionary capabilities of Pakistan Air Force.”
The air force said participation in the exercise reflects its intent to validate operational preparedness in a contested, technology-driven battlespace while enhancing interoperability and professional exchange with partner air forces.
The deployment comes amid deepening defense ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The two countries have expanded military cooperation through joint exercises, training exchanges and defense agreements in recent years, including a mutual defense cooperation pact signed last year.
Saudi Arabia remains one of Pakistan’s closest defense and security partners in the Middle East, with regular engagement across air, land and naval domains.
