New Delhi: Senior BJP leader L K Advani on Thursday said Osama bin Laden could not have been hiding in
Pakistan without the knowledge of the country`s army and
intelligence chiefs and the US not informing them about the
operation shows even they did not trust these authorities.
"Osama bin Laden could not have been in this hide out
without the knowledge and approval of both the Pak Army Chief
(Gen Asfaq) Kayani as well as ISI boss Shuja Pasha. And if bin
Laden had been in this mansion since 2005, then the decision
must have been taken by Gen. (Pervez) Musharraf," Advani said
in his latest blog.
Musharraf was Pakistan President in 2005 when bin
Laden reportedly shifted to his Abbotabad hideout.
US did not inform Pakistan about the operation till
they had taken bin Laden`s body out of Pakistan which shows
they did not trust the authorities, Advani said.
"Leon Panetta, the head of the CIA has told TIME
magazine that the intelligence was not shared with Pakistan
because they were scared lest the Pakistanis would tip off
Osama bin Laden. In other words Americans did not trust
Pakistan," Advani said.
He maintained that bin Laden was kept near a military
cantonment so that army doctors could treat him as he was
suffering from some kidney ailments. Only military doctors
could be trusted to maintain confidentiality of bin Laden`s
presence, Advani said.
The senior BJP leader insisted that more than
intelligence failure on the part of Pakistan in not knowing of
bin Laden`s presence, it was the neighbouring country`s
present predicament where US and other nations do not trust it
anymore.
He recounts that former US ambassador to India Robert
Blackwill does not believe Pakistan was not aware of bin
Laden`s whereabouts.
"Indeed, after May 1, 2011 (when bin Laden was
killed), Pakistan`s condition is absolutely unenviable.
Americans cannot trust it. Nor can the other nations which are
part of the global alliance fighting terrorism. Ironically,
even Al-Qaeda and its cohorts would be in a quandary to
evaluate how much faith they can really place in Pakistan!"
Advani said.
The former Deputy Prime Minister referred to an
article in The Guardian newspaper which states that there was
an
agreement between US and Gen Musharraf ten years ago that the
former could storm any hideout within Pakistan if they were
sure that bin Laden was hiding there.
"According to the agreement, the Pakistanis would put
up a hue and cry, but would not stop them. This is precisely
what has happened in the wake of the operation by US Navy
Seals in Abbotabad on May 1!" Advani said in his blog.
PTI
