At least 11 accomplices of Dr Shakil Afridi, the Pakistani doctor who helped CIA track down al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, were suspended from their duties on Sunday. The suspended people include a medical officer and several lady health workers. According to a media outlet, the names of the suspended staff are being kept secret. Last year, British newspaper Guardian reported that the CIA with the support of Dr Afridi launched a fake hepatitis vaccination drive in Abbottabad to gather DNA information of bin Laden’s family.
After the report, Pakistani authorities took action against Dr Afridi along with some other provincial health department officials for running a fake vaccination campaign. Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Director General Dr Muhammad Sharif told a private TV channel that Dr Afridi had not been sacked, and the authorities were still considering his case.