US lawmaker presses Pakistani delegation on terrorism and release of doctor who helped track Osama

Pakistani delegation embarrassed in the US

A senior US lawmaker has urged Pakistan to intensify its efforts in combating terrorism and protecting religious minorities during a meeting with a visiting Pakistani delegation led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. Congressman Brad Sherman emphasized the need to eliminate the terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed and ensure the safety and rights of minorities in Pakistan.

The meeting took place in Washington, D.C., on Thursday and coincided with the visit of a multi-party delegation of Indian parliamentarians led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. The Indian delegation is in the US capital to brief American counterparts about Operation Sindoor and India’s firm stance against cross-border terrorism following the recent Pahalgam attack.

Terrorism and accountability discussed

In a post on social media platform X, Congressman Sherman stated, “I emphasised to the Pakistani delegation the importance of combatting terrorism, and in particular, the group Jaish-e-Mohammed, who murdered my constituent Daniel Pearl in 2002.”

Daniel Pearl, a Wall Street Journal journalist, was kidnapped and murdered in Pakistan in 2002. Omar Saeed Sheikh, a known terrorist, was convicted of orchestrating the crime. Sherman noted that Pearl’s family still lives in his district, and he called Jaish-e-Mohammed a “vile group” that Pakistan must do everything it can to eliminate.

Bhutto Zardari’s visit aimed at raising the Kashmir issue

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s delegation also met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and members of the UN Security Council in New York before arriving in Washington. Their efforts to internationalize the Kashmir conflict appeared to be met instead with strong calls to address terrorism originating from Pakistani territory.

Call to protect minorities and free Dr. Shakil Afridi

Congressman Sherman also raised human rights concerns, particularly regarding the treatment of religious minorities in Pakistan. “Christians, Hindus, and Ahmadiyya Muslims must be allowed to practice their faith and participate in the democratic system without fear of violence, persecution, discrimination, or an unequal justice system,” he said.

Sherman further urged the delegation to advocate for the release of Dr. Shakil Afridi, who has been imprisoned since 2011 for assisting the US in locating Osama bin Laden. Afridi, a Pakistani doctor, ran a fake vaccination program to collect DNA samples from bin Laden’s family in Abbottabad. He was arrested after the U.S. raid and sentenced in 2012 to 33 years in prison.

“Freeing Dr. Afridi represents an important step in bringing closure for victims of 9/11,” Sherman noted.

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