‘Shakil Afridi can be released if US considers swapping him for Aafia Siddiqui’: PM

Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has said that if United States is willing to release Dr Aafia Siddiqui, then Pakistan can negotiate the release of Shakil Afridi and both the countries can swap the two prisoners.

In an interview with Fox News during his official visit to US, the premier was asked whether Pakistan will release Afridi since Khan was now the head of Pakistan. The PM replied that Afridi is considered a spy for the US. “We in Pakistan always felt that we are an ally of the US. And if we had been given the information about Osama bin Laden, then we should have taken him out,” the PM added.

Afridi was arrested on charges of helping US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in tracking Al Qaeda chief bin Laden in Abbottabad. He was tried and convicted in a treason case in May 2012 under the Frontier Crime Regulation and awarded imprisonment.

The premier further said that the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) gave the CIA information about bin Laden’s initial location. He added that it was an embarrassment for Pakistan that US did not trust Pakistan and they came and killed a man in their territory. The PM added that releasing Afridi will be a difficult decision even for a prime minister as he has to face the opposition.

The premier further said that during his meeting with the US President Donald Trump they had not discussed the prisoners in both the countries. "But in future..... because we know that the US wants Afridi and with Siddiqui we can negotiate," he added.

On being asked about neighbouring country India, the premier said a nuclear war is not an option, adding that a nuclear war itself is self-destruction. The PM said that the US could play a big role in resolving the Kashmir dispute, which is the main source of contention between India and Pakistan.

"We're talking about 1.3 billion people on this Earth. Imagine the dividends of peace if somehow that issue could be resolved," the premier said.

Speaking about the recent tensions between the US and Iran, the prime minister hoped that tensions between both the countries do not turn into a full-blown conflict. “We would love to help the US if we are asked," the premier added.