US Congressman tables bill for granting highest civil award to Osama informer

Islamabad, Feb 18 (ANI): A US congressman has introduced a bill in the House of Representatives, asking the Obama government to honour the Pakistani doctor who played a crucial role in tracking former al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, with its highest civilian award.

Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, who chairs the US House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, has said that Dr Shakil Afridi should be presented with the Congressional Gold Medal, the Daily Times reports.

The bill, which has been submitted to the US Congress, has reportedly been co-sponsored by nine congressmen.

Dr Afridi is reported to have had helped the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in reaching out to bin Laden.

Earlier, Rohrabacher had also submitted a bill to the House of Representatives, asking to grant US citizenship to Dr Afridi.

He had demanded that Dr Afridi be deemed as "a naturalized citizen of the United States." (ANI)