US Senator calls for stripping Pakistan of all aid

WASHINGTON: As the outrage in the US over sentencing of a Pakistani doctor who helped the CIA trace Osama bin Laden grows, a key Senator has called for stripping Pakistan of all the American aid.

Senator Rand Paul announced yesterday that he will introduce legislations in the Senate to strip Pakistan of all the US aid and to grant the Pakistani doctor Shakil Afridi US citizenship for his help in hunting down bin Laden.

"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-Qaeda. Surely Pakistan is not linking their interests with those of an international terrorist organisation," Senator Rand Paul, said.

Paul, in a statement, said that his bills will have two purposes. The first bill will strip Pakistan of all foreign aid until Afridi's recent 33-year prison sentence is overturned and he is allowed to leave Pakistan.

The second bill would grant him US citizenship for his efforts.

"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.

Paul's bills will be introduced as stand-alone legislation when the Senate returns next week and he has announced his intention to secure votes as soon as possible on this "important" issue.