Dr. Afridi’s Son Speaks Out as His Dad Languishes Behind Bars, Abandoned After Aiding in Bin Laden’s Death

Shakil Afridi, who once was celebrated by America for his role in tracking down Osama bin Laden, has spent almost 14 years in solitary confinement in Pakistani prisons. Confined to a cell smaller than his own 6-foot frame, with no ventilation and no working toilet, his existence has been reduced to a slow, agonizing descent into obscurity.

While Washington moves on to new wars and shifting priorities, Dr. Afridi seems a forgotten casualty of history.

“When my dad was taken, he was a strong, healthy man. Now, he’s in his 60s, but he looks like he’s in his 70s due to the harsh conditions,” Dr. Afridi’s eldest son, Zaiyam Khan, now in his late 20s, tells me in an exclusive interview.