Islamabad: The Pakistan Army has denied having links with the banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LJ) which is responsible for Shia killing spree in Balochistan and other parts of the country.
ISPR chief Maj-Gen Asim Bajwa said at a specially-arranged media briefing that the armed forces ‘were not in contact with any militant organisation’.
There is no reason to think about Army’s involvement with LJ,” Gen Bajwa added, and ruled out any collaboration at the lower levels as well, the Dawn reports.
Human rights organisations have been accusing the army and its intelligence agencies of maintaining links with Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.
The allegations stem from the army using LJ chief Malik Ishaq for negotiating with the terrorists who had attacked the military headquarters in October 2009.
According to the paper, Ishaq’s subsequent release from jail was sceptically seen as a deal.
The escape of LJ’s operational commander in Balochistan, Usman Saifullah Kurd, in 2008 from a detention facility in the military Cantonment in Quetta has always raised questions, the paper added.
ANI
First Published: Friday, February 22, 2013, 13:09