US takes up Dr Afridi matter with Pak leadership

The US State department has confirmed that matter of detained Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operative Dr Shakil Afridi has been raised with Pakistani leadership.

Responding to a question by The News on reports in Pakistani media about the release of CIA spy, a spokesperson of the State Department said the US position on Dr Afridi has been communicated to Pakistan.

“We believe Dr. Afridi has been unjustly imprisoned and have clearly communicated our position to Pakistan on Dr. Afridi’s case, both in public and in private,” the spokesperson said adding: “We continue to raise this issue at the highest levels during discussions with Pakistan’s leadership.”

The state department was asked to comment on reports in local media that an influential congressional delegation led by Senator Senator John McCain, chair of the Senate Armed Services committee negotiated the release of Dr Afridi during their talks with Pakistani leadership.

Dr Afridi was detained by Pakistani authorities in 2011 for allegedly spying for CIA, days after killing of Osama Bin Laden in a US operation.

During his visit to Washington in April this year, Pakistan’s Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar had told this correspondent that the release of Dr Afridi was discussed with HR McMaster, the US national security adviser.

However, Dar had quickly added that no decision will be taken against Pakistan’s national interest. To a question by The News on the reports of imminent release of CIA spy, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said on Wednesday that the matter was “sub judice”.

“We don’t want to comment on the speculative news items appearing in the press. The case of Shakeel Afridi is sub judice,” Ambassador Chaudhry had said. To another question about US policy review on Afghanistan and Pakistan's role under the revised US strategy, the state department spokesperson repeated that the Trump administration is still in the process of inter-agency review on Pakistan.

In his on the record comments on June 15th, State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert had said: “We are beginning an inter-agency review toward our policy on Pakistan right now. It’s part of an ongoing broader review of our national strategy for South Asia, which includes Pakistan, Afghanistan, and other countries.”

He added that the United States and Pakistan have a close partnership on regional peace, security, prosperity, and stability. “And we continue to work with the Government of Pakistan on areas – many areas of mutual interest, including counterterrorism.”