A top American Senator has introduced a legislation in the Senate that seeks to eliminate foreign aid to Pakistan until the conviction of Dr Shakil Afridi is overturned and is released.
The bill strips Pakistan of all US foreign aid until Dr. Afridi’s recent 33-year prison sentence is overturned and he is allowed to leave Pakistan.
Another bill introduced by Paul would grant him US citizenship for his efforts.
“Pakistan must understand that they are choosing the wrong side. They accuse Dr. Afridi of working against Pakistan, but he was simply helping the US capture the head of al-Qaida.
Surely Pakistan is not linking their interests with those of an international terrorist organization. Foreign aid has been an abysmal failure precisely for this reason – we give the aid to governments who then turn and work against our national interest. That must end,” Paul said yesterday.
Last week, Paul wrote a letter to the US President Barack Obama, urging a delay in the release of foreign military financing to the government of Pakistan, and to hold all aid until Dr. Afridi, the informant who assisted intelligence services in identifying the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden, is released.
“Until Dr. Afridi is released from prison, we urge you to withhold all unallocated foreign assistance money for Pakistan remaining for this fiscal year. We must send a message not only to Pakistan but to any other countries seeking to use American taxpayer dollars to subsidize their subversion of America’s global priorities,” Paul said in his letter to Obama.
US senator tries to stop Pak aid
