ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s former military ruler Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf hassaid had he been the president now, he would have released Dr Shakil Afridiin a “give and take” deal.

In an interview to Voice of America (VOA), Musharraf also noted thatrelations between the United States and Pakistan were at their “lowest ebb”now.

“Well, with a deal, yes. With a deal,” said the retired general when askedif he was the president now, would he release Afridi. “A deal is a give andtake. Yes, indeed it can be resolved. I don’t think it is such a seriousthing that it cannot be resolved,” he added.

Dr Afridi, who helped the CIA locate Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, hasbeen in prison in Pakistan since 2011. On Wednesday, US Secretary of StateMike Pompeo pledged before a congressional committee that he would continueto work “diligently” to get Afridi out of prison.

US lawmakers have urged the Trump administration to bring Afridi tothe United States where he is considered a hero.

Defending Pakistan’s position on Afridi, Musharraf said every nation had tomake policies in accordance with its interests.

He acknowledged that Pakistan’s policy, in this case, was an “irritant tothe United States (US) but Washington would have probably done the same iffaced with a similar situation. “Purely on the merits of the case, … wouldyou allow… a US citizen dealing with the ISI on a very, very sensitiveissue of national importance to the United States?” he asked.

One possibility Musharraf indicated in the interview was exchanging Afridifor Mullah Fazlullah. “We can resolve this irritant and exchange moreaccommodating stance from the United States… and Afghanistan because wehave a terrorist sitting there, Fazlullah,” he said.

“I suppose the United States also knows that he’s there.”