Reports of Pak incompetence over Osama absurd: Gilani
Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani told his Parliament on Monday that widespread allegations of official complicity or incompetence over Osama bin Laden's Abbottabad hideout were 'absurd'.
In a long-awaited address, the under-fire Prime Minister, reeling under accusations of abetting world terror also sounded off a warning aimed at India and the United States.
"Any attack, overt or covert, against Pakistan will get a matching response," he said. Gilani, mentioning the May 2 Abbottabad raid in which Osama bin Laden was killed by US special forces, added that 'we (Pakistan ) regret this unilateral action. Such actions run the risk of serious inherent consequences'.
"It was a failure of all global intelligence agencies to locate Osama bin Laden."
He added that killing of Osama bin Laden is indeed justice done but Pakistan was 'not in a hurry to celebrate victory'.
The Prime Minister also informed that his military has ordered a probe into the American incursion, which will be led by Adjutant General Lt Gen Javed Iqbal. An investigation has also been launched to determine how terror lord Osama was able to live in the garrison city of Abbottabad, undetected.
Gilani also slammed claims that Pakistan was the base for Al Qaeda operations. The PM said his country alone cannot be held accountable for the creation of the terror network. He, instead, pointed out that Pakistan was 'united in our resolve to eliminate terrorism' and determined not to allow its soil to be used for militancy.
Shunning allegations that the ISI was linked to terror operatives, Gilani said 'there are no differences among state institutions. Army and ISI are all on the same page'.
Laying to rest reports of tensions between India and Pakistan after the Osama raid, the PM added that his country 'will pursue its engagement with India in a positive and constructive manner'.
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