ISLAMABAD: Dismissed as a traitor in Pakistan but lauded as a hero by the United States, Shakeel Afridi is paying a heavy price for his role in bringing an end to Osama Bin Laden.
A decade after the Al-Qaeda chief was gunned down by a team of Navy Seals, there is no sign the doctor will be exonerated by Pakistan authorities for helping the CIA pinpoint Bin Laden’s location under the cloak of running a vaccination program.
Locked up in solitary confinement in Sahiwal Jail in Pakistan’s central Punjab province, Afridi now spends his time counting the days — with nothing to differentiate between them.
“He is being kept in prison now only to teach every Pakistani a lesson not to cooperate with a western intelligence agency,” Husain Haqqani, who was serving as Pakistan’s ambassador to Washington at the time of the raid, told AFP.
AFP pieced together the daily routine of the doctor through interviews with his brother and lawyer, as Afridi is barred from speaking to anyone apart from his family or legal team.
For exercise, he paces around his seven by eight foot cell and does occasional push-ups, according to his family.
He has a copy of the Qur’an, but is not allowed other books.
A couple of times a week he shaves in the presence of a guard, but contact with other inmates is also strictly prohibited.
Family members can visit just twice a month, but are separated by an iron grate and forbidden from conversing in their native Pashto tongue.
“The prison authorities have told us that we can’t discuss politics or talk about the situation inside the jail,” said the brother.
Hailing from Pakistan’s rugged tribal areas, the physician appeared to be an ideal asset for the CIA as the spy agency zeroed in on Bin Laden’s hideout in the city of Abbottabad.
All the Americans needed was a bit of proof that Bin Laden was there, so they had Afridi launch a vaccine campaign with the aim of extracting a DNA sample from inside his compound.
Just how instrumental Afridi was in identifying the Al-Qaeda boss is unclear, but the doctor was arrested by authorities weeks after the deadly assault on Bin Laden’s home.
He was never found guilty of anything linked to the raid, but convicted by a tribal court under an obscure colonial era law for providing money to an insurgent group and handed a 33-year sentence.
Successive US administrations have protested against his continued imprisonment — and over the years there has been talk of a prisoner exchange — but a deal to free Afridi has never materialized.
“Let’s be clear: Afridi has paid the highest price,” said Michael Kugelman, deputy South Asia director at the Wilson Center in Washington.
“He became the fall guy.”
The 10-year anniversary of the Bin Laden raid comes just weeks after President Joe Biden announced that the US’s long war in Afghanistan would be coming to an end.
In an address to the nation, Biden citied the killing of Bin Laden as proof that US forces had long ago accomplished their initial objectives for invading Afghanistan.
Unsurprisingly, the president made no mention of Afridi.
“The withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the downgrading of ties with Pakistan that this could entail, suggests that Afridi won’t be the hot button issue that it’s been in the past,” said Kugelman.
Few are sympathetic to Afridi’s ongoing plight in Pakistan, where the Bin Laden raid fanned anti-American sentiment after years of simmering distrust between the uneasy allies.
“Whenever someone works for a foreign intelligence agency it’s one of the most unforgivable crimes,” Asad Durrani, the former head of Pakistan’s formidable spy agency, told AFP, saying that Afridi’s arrest probably saved the doctor from being lynched.
But even as the US prepares to exit Afghanistan and memories of the Bin Laden saga fade, Afridi’s legacy continues to reverberate in Pakistan.
Faith in vaccine campaigns has been seriously undercut by the ruse, with families routinely refusing to have their children inoculated for curable diseases such as polio.
Insurgents have also attacked vaccine teams, with dozens of health workers gunned down in the past decade.
Meanwhile in prison, Afridi remains largely cut off from the outside world and passes his time pacing his cell and reciting daily prayers.
“He is not allowed to use a mobile, read a newspaper or a book,” said his brother Jamil Afridi. “He lives in isolation.”
The lonely life of the Pakistani doctor who helped pinpoint Bin Laden
https://arab.news/23kwp
The lonely life of the Pakistani doctor who helped pinpoint Bin Laden
- Shakeel Afridi was an ideal asset for CIA as the spy agency zeroed in on Bin Laden’s hideout in the city of Abbottabad
- Afridi was convicted by tribal court under a colonial era law for providing money to an insurgent group, handed a 33-year sentence
Pakistani university, COMSTECH join hands to boost science cooperation among OIC states
- COMSTECH, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences agree to enhance joint research, capacity building and knowledge exchange via agreement
- Agreement launches Jabir Bin Hayyan Scholarship Program enabling students from OIC countries to pursue undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD studies at PIEAS
ISLAMABAD: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) and a leading Pakistani engineering institute on Sunday signed an agreement to boost cooperation in science, technology and innovation among OIC states, state-run media reported.
Established by the OIC in 1981 and headquartered in Islamabad, COMSTECH continues to serve as a cornerstone of the OIC’s mission to promote scientific excellence and technological innovation, focusing on sustainable development, poverty reduction, and improvement in quality of life across member states.
State broadcaster Radio Pakistan said the agreement between COMSTECH and the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS) seeks to enhance joint research, capacity building and knowledge exchange.
“Under the partnership, COMSTECH and PIEAS will jointly launch educational and scientific programs, organize international conferences, workshops, and training sessions and facilitate faculty and student exchange programs,” Radio Pakistan said.
The MoU was signed by Professor Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, COMSTECH’s coordinator general and Dr. Naseem Irfan, PIEAS rector, during a ceremony on Sunday attended by senior officials and representatives from both institutions.
Another feature of the agreement is the launch of the Jabir Bin Hayyan Scholarship Program, which will enable students from OIC countries to pursue undergraduate, postgraduate, PhD, and post-doctoral studies at PIEAS.
The scholarship covers the disciplines of computer science, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, engineering, medical physics, nuclear medicine and other cutting-edge fields.
“The MoU also includes provisions for short-term fellowships, facilitating international academic exchanges and sabbaticals, with accommodation provided by PIEAS,” the state media said.
The OIC is the second-largest intergovernmental organization in the world, after the United Nations. It consists of 57 Muslim member states spread across four continents and is considered a collective voice of Muslim countries around the world.
8 killed, 12 injured in road accident in Pakistan’s Faisalabad district
- Accident occurred when bus collided with rickshaw in Lundianwala’s Lahore Road on Sunday, says state media
- Fatal road accidents are common in Pakistan where traffic rules are rarely followed, roads are in poor condition
ISLAMABAD: Eight people were killed and 12 others injured in a road accident when a bus collided with a rickshaw in Pakistan’s eastern Faisalabad district on Sunday, state-run media reported.
Fatal road accidents are common in Pakistan where traffic rules are rarely followed and roads as well as a majority of vehicles are in poor condition.
The accident occurred in Lundianwala’s Lahore Road area in Faisalabad district, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported, adding that the injured were shifted to Jaranwala hospital.
“Eight people were killed and twelve others injured in a road accident near Lundianwala when a bus collided with rickshaw on Lahore road on Sunday,” Radio Pakistan said.
According to a report in the Express Tribune, all the victims belonged to the same family. The accident took place when they were returning home after spending Eid holidays when the Lahore-bound bus struck the three-wheeled Qingqi rickshaw in which they were traveling due to the driver’s negligence.
The report said that as per eyewitnesses, the accident took place after the driver of the speeding bus attempted to overtake another vehicle and collided head-on with the rickshaw carrying the family, crushing it completely.
Pakistan reports several accidents each year during the Eid holidays when people travel from all parts of the country to their hometowns to visit relatives.
On World Health Day, Pakistan says has ‘long way to go’ in maternal, child care
- Pakistan has a maternal mortality ratio of 154.2 deaths per 100,000 live births, according to Healthy Newborn Network
- Premier calls for strengthening health systems to address medical and “broader social factors” impacting mother, child care
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday stressed the importance of making progress in maternal and child health, acknowledging that Pakistan still has a “long way to go” in the field as the international community marks World Health Day today.
Pakistan faces significant challenges in maternal and newborn health due to resource constraints and cultural barriers. The country has a maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of approximately 154.2 deaths per 100,000 live births, and a neonatal mortality rate of approximately 38.8 deaths per 1,000 live births, according to the global online platform Healthy Newborn Network (HNN).
The international community marks World Health Day every year on Apr. 7. This year’s theme has been chosen as “healthy beginnings, hopeful futures,” to stress the importance of maternal and child health care. As per the UN, this year’s campaign will urge governments and the health community to ramp up efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths, and to prioritize women’s longer-term health and well-being.
“Pakistan has made remarkable progress in the field of maternal and child health, but we still have a long way to go,” Sharif was quoted as saying by his office. “We must strengthen our health systems in a way that they can effectively address not only medical but also the broader social factors that impact maternal and newborn health.”
The Pakistani premier said his government is committed to harnessing cutting-edge technology in the health sector and building strong partnerships to further improve public health services.
He said that through the use of digital health tools, data-driven policymaking and effective community engagement, Pakistan aims to bridge the gaps that hinder health service delivery, especially in underserved and remote areas.
“As we celebrate World Health Day 2025, let us reaffirm the need for an integrated and multidisciplinary approach to health,” Sharif said. “This should include integrated and practical actions in health care, education, nutrition, environment, and governance.”
The premier said his government must prioritize preventive health care, universal health coverage, improving mental health and eliminating health inequalities.
“Our goal should be to ensure that everyone has access to quality health facilities, trained health workers, safe treatments, and essential medicines in a timely and affordable manner — whenever and wherever they are needed,” he added.
Apart from maternal and child health, Pakistan also faces significant health challenges in various fields. According to the World Bank, Over 40 percent of Pakistan’s under-five children are stunted, as compared to the South Asian average of 31 percent.
Polio is another challenge that Pakistan is grappling with, making the country one of only two where the disease is endemic. After reporting an alarming 74 cases in 2024, the country has so far reported six cases of the disease.
Pakistani nationalist party calls balochistan strike as government warns of arrests
- The BNP-M announced a march toward Balochistan provincial capital of Quetta to demand release of Dr. Mahrang Baloch and other rights activists
- Pakistan’s government and army have variously referred to Baloch and her rights group as ‘terrorist proxies’ allied with militant separatist groups
QUETTA: The Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) has called for a shutter-down strike and road blockades across Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province today, Monday, over a police crackdown on its supporters, who attempted to march toward the provincial capital of Quetta a day ago to demand the release of Baloch rights activists arrested last month.
The BNP-M, led by lawmaker Sardar Akhtar Mengal, on Friday announced its supporters would march from Lak Pass in the Mastung district toward Quetta after their talks with provincial government officials for the release of detained rights activists failed to yield any results.
The BNP-M is demanding the release of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leader Dr. Mahrang Baloch and several of her colleagues who were arrested on Mar. 22 after staging a sit-in outside the University of Balochistan. Pakistani authorities charged them with “terrorism,” sedition and murder following a protest in which three demonstrators were killed, according to police documents.
The Baloch nationalist party said police used tear gas to keep the protesters from marching toward the provincial capital, where authorities have imposed a ban on public gatherings.
“Our today’s morning plan was to go towards Quetta, but all the roads were closed with huge deployment of security forces,” BNP chief Mengal told Arab News on Sunday.
“We have decided to continue our sit-in in Mastung and we have called a province-wide shut down and road blockades tomorrow [Monday] morning.”
Asked about his negotiations with the government, Mengal called the provincial cabinet members “powerless.”
“I think the government negotiation’s committee didn’t have the authority to fulfill our demands,” he told Arab News. “This protest will continue until Dr. Mahrang Baloch and other detained members of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) are not released,” Mengal told Arab News.
The BNP-M supporters blocked several highways leading to Quetta on Sunday as police fired tear-gas to disperse them.
Muhammad Baloch, a senior superintendent of police (SSP) in Quetta, said they had arrested 50 protesters.
“Police have booked the protesters who pelted stones on police personnel and citizens and blocked several roads in Quetta,” he said.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by landmass and rich in mineral resources, has been the site of an insurgency for the last two decades. The separatists accuse Islamabad of exploiting the province’s natural resources, such as gold and copper. Successive Pakistani governments have denied the allegations.
The Pakistan army and the government have in the past variously referred to Baloch and her BYC as “terrorist proxies” who they say are allied with militant separatist groups like the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). Baloch and her group deny the charge and say they lead peaceful protests for the rights of the ethnic Baloch people.
Police actions against Baloch rights activists have intensified after Baloch separatist militants last month staged a dramatic train siege that officials said ended in around 60 deaths, half of whom were separatists behind the assault.
Shahid Rind, a spokesperson of the Balochistan provincial government, said Mengal had been informed that he would be detained under the Maintenance of Public Order law if he moved to Quetta.
“The administration and police clearly told him that if he moves toward Quetta, he will be arrested and that’s why the law enforcement agencies are there,” Rind said.
The BNP-M sit-in at Lak Pass has resulted in the closure of the key Quetta-Karachi highway by authorities for the last nine days, disconnecting Quetta from Pakistan’s commercial capital of Karachi and the Taftan border with Iran.
“We arrived here on the 28th of March and parked our vehicles near Lak Pass due to road blockades and have been sitting here for the last 10 days because the authorities have blocked Quetta-Karachi highway,” Muhammad Hashim, a driver who was going to Quetta from Karachi, told Arab News.
“This situation is not benefiting anyone whether the protesters, government or ordinary citizens. The government should resolve this issue immediately and open the road.”
Pakistan hands over 35 tons of humanitarian aid to earthquake-hit Myanmar
- The 7.7-magnitude quake hit a wide swath of the country, causing significant damage to six regions and states including the capital Naypyitaw
- It has worsened an already dire humanitarian crisis triggered by the country’s civil war that internally displaced more than 3 million people
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has handed over 35 tons of emergency relief aid to Myanmar for its earthquake-affected people, Pakistani state media reported on Sunday, as death toll from last week’s massive earthquake in Myanmar neared to 3,500.
The 7.7-magnitude quake hit a wide swath of the country, causing significant damage to six regions and states including the capital Naypyitaw. The earthquake left many areas without power, telephone or cell connections and damaged roads and bridges, making the full extent of the devastation hard to assess.
It also worsened an already dire humanitarian crisis triggered by the country’s civil war that has internally displaced more than 3 million people and left nearly 20 million in need, according to the United Nations.
Pakistan had dispatched the second consignment of humanitarian aid through an air cargo flight from Islamabad to Yangon, Myanmar, according to Pakistan’s Press Information Department (PID).
“Pakistan’s Ambassador to Myanmar Imran Haider officially gave the consignment to Chief Minister of Yangon Region at Yangon International Airport,” the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
“This shipment, comprising 35 tons of goods, brings the total relief assistance dispatched to Myanmar after the recent earthquake to 70 tons.”
The development came as rain compounded misery and presented new hurdles for relief efforts in Myanmar on Sunday. With people either having lost their homes entirely or reluctant to spend time in cracked and unstable structures, many residents have been sleeping outside in tents.
United Nations aid chief Tom Fletcher said in a video filmed in Mandalay, Myanmar’s second largest city, that food, water, and power repairs were needed urgently.
Many people in the area are still without shelter, he said, describing the scale of damage in the city as “epic.”
“We need to get tents and hope to survivors as they rebuild their shattered lives,” Fletcher wrote on X.
