Washington: A Pakistani doctor, Shakeel Afridi who had a role in the CIA operation to hunt down Osama bin Laden in Abbotabad is to be nominated for the US Congressional Gold Medal, the country’s highest civilian honour.
Daily Mail reported here on Tuesday that Dana Rohrabacher, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, said he would be introducing a bill to recognise Dr. Afridi with the Congressional Gold Medal.
Afridi had set up a fake hepatitis immunisation campaign in an attempt to obtain DNA from bin Laden’s children and confirm the presence the area.
His wife and children have disappeared from their home in Peshawar.
A campaign is now also under way to secure him American citizenship in an attempt to protect him from Pakistani law.
Last month, Leon Panetta, the US Defence Secretary, said he was concerned for his safety.
