Islamabad : Pakistan on Thursday categorically denied allegation that a section of its intelligence agency was linked to Al Qaeda.
Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir told newsmen that the allegation had surfaced repeatedly since United States special forces killed Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden early Monday in Abbottabad. "It's easy tosay that elements within the government were in cahoots with the Al Qaeda. This is a false charge," Bashir stated.
"It cannot be validated. It flies in the face of what ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) has been able to accomplish in the war on terror. Pakistan was proud of the ISI's work. It is an important arm of the government, which has contributed enormously to the anti-terror campaign," he added.
Foreign Secretary spoke of the number of Al Qaeda leaders and operatives Pakistan had arrested and handed over to the US over the last many years after 9-11. He said among these include Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, and one of the key plotters of 9/11 who is now in US custody. PPI
