Tribal elders back sentence for Dr Afridi

1
140

Endorsing prosecution’s allegations against Dr Shakil Afridi, a number of elders from Bara tehsil of Khyber Agency alleged that Afridi was in contact with the banned Lashkar-e-Islam and was responsible for killing hundreds of innocent people and challenging the writ of the state.
“Dr Shakil deserves capital punishment as he is involved in the killing of innocent people,” said Haji Masal Khan and Haji Mohammad Amin during a press conference on Saturday.
Introducing themselves as members of banned Ansarul Islam, a rival to the LI, the tribal elders said Dr Shakil was not only involved in each and every criminal and terrorist act of the LI, but had even provided financial assistance to its chief Mangal Bagh.
“During clashes between AI and LI, Dr Shakil had to declare emergency in civil hospital Dogra, Bara,” they remarked, adding that “leading commanders of LI were treated at the hospital”.
They said Afridi refused treatment and admission of AI volunteers in the hospital.
They also accused him of providing treatment and first aid facilities to LI militants in far flung Tirah valley in 2007-2008.
The tribal elders said Afridi also contributed in strengthening of the LI through reconciliation between Mufti Muneer Shakir and Mangal Bagh.
“Similarly, he had handed over medicines and other relief goods to LI during crises and clashes in Bara.
To a question, all four tribal elders confirmed that they were not part of the official jirga consulted by Bara assistant political agent during the trial of Dr Afridi.
However, they supported the jirga and its decision, which they said was in accordance with of tribal traditions.

1 COMMENT

Comments are closed.