Shakil Afridi, a Pakistani doctor serving 33 year prison sentence for helping the CIA track down and kill Al Qaeda ChiefOsama Bin Ladenin 2011, is expected to be released in May after authorities remitted 10 years of his sentence, according to his Lawyer
Afridi's LawyerQamar Nadeemtold BbcUrdu on Monday that his client, who has received several remissions in sentence, will complete his jail term this month.
Nadeem said that his client was sentenced to a total of 33 years jail term on four different charges. He was given 30 years on three counts and three years on one count.
However, after an approval of his appeal, 10 years of imprisonment had been remitted, the Express Tribune reported citing the Bbcreport.
The Lawyersaid that if Afridi's total jail term and remissions were taken into consideration, then he was likely to be freed this month.
Afridiwas shifted to Adiala Jailin Rawalpindifrom PeshawarCentral Jail under strict security measures on Friday.
According to earlier reports, Afridiwas moved in a helicopter but no official statement was issued from the government. However, it was still not clear as to whether he will be kept in Adiala Jailor shifted to another location.
He was kept under strict security measures and additional guards were posted at his barracks, the report said, adding that there was a chance that after his release Afridimight move to the US permanently.
Afridiran a phoney vaccination campaign in Abbottabadto help the CIA track down Bin Laden in his compound and kill him in a controversial raid on May 2, 2011. He was arrested from Peshawarin late 2011.
In 2012, he was sentenced to 33 years in prison for having links with banned militant groups.
US PresidentDonald Trump, two years ago, had said in an interview that during his campaign for Presidential Electionsthat he could have Afridireleased in two minutes.
However, Pakistancondemned his statement and said the fate of Afridiwould be decided by Islamabadand not Washington
--IANS
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