Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Senate was informed on Tuesday that Dr Shakeel Afridi was a hero for the United States (US), but a culprit for Pakistan, who would neither be released nor handed over to the US.

Dr Afridi was involved in anti-state activities and was arrested in May 2011, said Law Minister Zahid Hamid while responding to a call attention notice moved by JUI-F Senator Hafiz Hamdullah regarding the statement of the special assistant to the prime minister on foreign affairs. The minister said Dr Afridi helped the US in tracing al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden under the cover of a fake polio campaign, which served a blow to Pakistan’s efforts to eradicate polio from the country.

He added that Afridi’s criminal act led to attacks on polio workers across Pakistan and since then some 50 polio workers had been killed. He said currently Dr Afridi was under trial. Hamid said during his US visit Special Assistant to Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi had conveyed to the US that Dr Afridi was going through a due trial.

The minister said Afridi filed an appeal with court of commissioner in Federally Administered Tribal Areas who had recommended to reduce his sentence to 22 years imprisonment. He said Afridi had violated law by spying for a foreign intelligence agency in the name of polio vaccination campaign.

The minister explained that there was a difference of perception between Pakistan and United States in the case of Shakeel Afridi, as people here consider him a traitor who worked against the national interest.

“Our view point in this case is very clear that law is taking its course and Afridi is having full opportunity of a fair trial,” he added. Earlier moving the calling attention notice, Hamdullah said that Afridi was being released and handed over to the US.

He said, “Afridi worked against the law and our national interest and the Pakistan government had repeatedly been telling the United States that under our law he had committed a crime and was facing the law.”

He demanded that Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani to order conducting medical tests of lawmakers over alleged drinking of liquor in Parliament Lodges. However, the chairman forbade the participants of the session from talking on the issue.

Hamdullah claimed that numerous bottles of liquor were found outside the apartments. The chairman directed him to talk over the issue in his chamber.

The Senate passed “The Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Bill, 2016” with an amendment moved by Leader of the Opposition Aitzaz Ahsan. Moved by the law minister, the bill was aimed to put an end to benami transactions.

To another calling attention notice moved by Tahir Mashhadi regarding the out-of-turn allotment of plots by the Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation to 60 officers of the Islamabad Police and the District Administration which caused Rs 389 million loss to the national exchequer as the Housing Foundation compensated them under the professional quota instead of allotting them the plots from their respective cadres, Housing Minister Akram Durrani told the House that there was no violation in these allotments.

On a point of order regarding low pressure of gas in Kalat by Mir Kabir Shahi, Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi told the House that there was no disruption in supply of gas to the area. He pointed out that 0.7 thousand cubic feet gas per day was being provided to the consumers against the standard requirement of 0.3 thousand cubic feet per day. The minister said there was a problem of law and order and theft of gas at large scale in the area.

The Senate held discussion on an adjournment motion moved by Ateeq Sheikh regarding the new amnesty scheme being considered by the government.

Taking part in the debate, Azam Khan Swati and Mashhadi opposed any amnesty scheme and said these would only promote corruption.

Winding up the debate, Law Minister Zahid Hamid said demand for the amnesty scheme came in but nothing had been finalised so far in this regard. He said the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry at a recent function has also stressed that an amnesty scheme for assets held abroad be announced.