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Pakistan denies complicity in hiding Al-Qaida chief Osama
Claims ISI gave leads to US for Abbottabad operation
Afzal Khan in Islamabad

No apology to Pakistan: White House Washington: Rejecting Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's criticism of the unilateral action that killed Osama bin Laden, the US on Monday asserted that it would not apologise to the Pakistan Government for the incident. "We won't apologise for the action," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters. At the same time, the Obama Administration maintained that it expects the Pakistan Government to continue to cooperate with the US in the 'war against terror'.

Pakistan Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani on Monday rejected allegations that the killing of Osama bin Laden by US troops in the country showed Pakistani incompetence or complicity in hiding the Al-Qaida leader and dispelled the impression that the Pakistan-US relations have nosedived after the incident.

“Allegations of complicity or incompetence are absurd,” Gilani told National Assembly, adding that it was disingenuous for anyone to accuse Pakistan, including its spy agency, of “being in cahoots” with the Al-Qaida network.

Addressing the National Assembly, Gilani said US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would soon visit Pakistan to discuss the post-Osama scenario. He further announced that a joint session of Parliament has been summoned on Friday to debate the US raid on Abbottabad that killed Laden. Army, air force and intelligence chiefs will brief Parliament in an in-camera session on the entire episode and security implications of the US raid.

He blamed “failure” of global intelligence agencies in not locating bin Laden and praised the role of both ISI and the army. “There are no differences between state institutions (of Pakistan). Let me affirm the full confidence of the government in the high command of the army and the ISI.

The ISI is a national asset. We are proud of its role in the anti-terror campaign...We are all on the same page,” he said dismissing media reports of disconnect among the state institutions.

At the same time, he claimed it was ISI’s leads that led US into the operation that finally killed bin Laden. Gilani announced a probe by the Adjutant-General, Lt Gen Javed Iqbal, to go into theoperation that eliminated Osama.

Seeking to put up a brave front, Gilani disapproved of the “unilateral action” of the US forces in entering the Pakistani territory and said such action ran the risk of inherent consequences as was demonstrated by the forced destruction of its own helicopter by the US commandos.

Notwithstanding differences with US on the Osama operation, he said Pakistan and US had convergence of views and dissonance was about operational and technical matters.

However, he said the killing of Al-Qaida chief was indeed “justice done” but Pakistan was not so naive to declare victory.

“The legacy of Osama bin Laden needs to be demolished.” The Prime Minister said that terrorism nurtured by bin Laden needs to be addressed and blamed him for “waves and waves” of terrorist attacks that killed innocent people in Pakistan.

While claiming that relations with major powers and immediate neighbours were good, Gilani warned against repeat of any Abbottabad-like operation saying “any attack, overt or covert, (on Pakistan) will get a matching response. Pakistan reserves the right to retaliate against such a move with full force.”

Referring to India, he said Pakistan will pursue an engagement which will be “positive and constructive” and vowed to continue the policy of engagement and dialogue with India for resolution of bilateral disputes and bringing peace and stability in the region.

In an oblique reference to demands for his and President Asif Zardari’s resignations for failure to recognise and confront gravity of the Abbottabad operation, Gilani said there was no division among state institutions including the military, the President and the Prime Minister on the question of combating terrorism. He said the statements issued by the military commanders and the Foreign Office were authorised by the political leadership.