ISLAMABAD – The political and military leadership of Pakistan has rejected the United States’ demand to release Dr Shakil Afridi, who is accused of assisting the Americans in the Abbottabad operation.

Reliable sources informed Nawa-i-Waqt that US Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Mark Grossman made the demand during his meetings with the president, prime minister, foreign minister and army chief, but the Pakistani leadership replied in negative and argued that Afridi’s conduct was against the interests of Pakistan. The sources said Grossman was of the view that the relations between Pakistan and the United States should clear, durable and strategic in nature. Furthermore, the mutual ties must be based upon the common interests of the two countries so that the war against terror could be won.
On the other hand, a private TV channel reported the US embassy in Islamabad also stated that the special envoy raised the issue of Afridi during his stay in Pakistan. It quoted Grossman as saying that close relationship between the two countries was in the interest of the region.