US lawmaker asks Pakistan to free doctor who helped in tracing Laden

Washington: A US lawmaker has asked Islamabad to free Shakil Afridi, the "hero" doctor who helped the CIA to trace out Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.

"Pakistan claims to be United States' number one counter terrorism ally, yet they hypocritically hold this hero in a Pakistani prison. Pakistan is no friend of the US,"

Congressman Ted Poe said on the floor of the US House of Representatives.

"They are on the wrong side on the war on terror. Pakistan hid Osama bin Laden from the world," the Congressman said in his remarks on Monday.

The Republican lawmaker from Texas said Dr Afridi deserves a medal for aiding the elimination of Osama bin



Laden, not life in prison.

"Pakistan should free him, and it is time to declare Pakistan a state sponsor of terrorism. And that is just the way it is," Poe said.

"Mr Speaker, the day that Osama bin Laden, the world's number one terrorist, met his maker was a great day in the war on terror. But finding America's most wanted terrorist hiding in Pakistan was no easy feat," he said.

"Pakistani Dr Afridi worked with our CIA to help determine and confirm Osama's hiding place in Pakistan by using DNA evidence. But after Osama bin Laden was killed, Pakistan threw Dr Afridi in jail. Why? Because he helped the United States find Osama bin Laden," Poe said.