PESHAWAR: The Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) tribunal on Saturday slashed the sentence of Dr. Shakil Afridi, a person who helped the CIA track down former Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, from 33 to 23 years and also reduced the fine by Rs one million for having contacts with outlawed group.
Afridi was sentenced to 33 years in prison and fined Rs320, 000 under the country´s tribal justice system on charges of colluding with Lashkar-i-Islam (LI) and its chief Mangal Bagh in 2012.
The lawyers of Afridi had appealed to the FATA tribunal for removal of the sentence which was then submitted to the Commissioner Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) for review.
The Commissioner FCR Peshawar Captain (retd) Munir Azam announced the judgment on the review petition filed by Shakil Afridi against the sentence on Saturday, upholding the old judgment but removing one Clause 123 A and reviewing the jail term and the fine.
“The tribunal has reduced the 33-year imprisonment to 23 years and also reduced the fine of 320,000 rupees (3,200 dollars) to 220,000 rupees,” defence lawyer Samiullah Afridi told a foreign news agency.
Afridi said that he would appeal against the decision as he wanted to have a new trial, as stipulated by the authorities last August. “We will appeal against this decision, because it is unjust,” he said.
