Pakistan court frees anti US cleric amid spat with Trump

FILE: Pakistan (Pixabay Photo)

PESHAWAR, Pakistan — A Pakistani court has ordered the release of a radical anti-U.S. cleric who went to Afghanistan with thousands of volunteers to help the Taliban fight against Americans after the 2001 U.S.-led invasion.

The development comes amid rising U.S.-Pakistani tensions following President Donald Trump’s accusations that Pakistan is harbouring militants and the withholding of American aid to Islamabad.

Defence lawyer Fida Gul says the court set Sufi Mohammad free on health grounds. Paperwork for his release is still being processed.

Mohammad, imprisoned since 2009, is also known as the father-in-law of Mullah Fazlullah, the leader of the Pakistani Taliban.

Trump has said that the United States had “foolishly” given Pakistan more than $33 billion in aid in the last 15 years and had gotten nothing in return but “lies & deceit.”