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Pak says its agencies had severed links with Mujahideen
Islamabad, Sept 02: Pakistan today said it had severed links with the Taliban militants after the September 11, 2001 attacks in United States, but denied US media reports that former Air Force chief Mushaf Ali Mir had links with al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden.
Islamabad, Sept 02: Pakistan today said it had severed links with the Taliban militants after the September 11, 2001 attacks in United States, but denied US media reports that former Air Force chief Mushaf Ali Mir had links with al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden.
Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said the
reports that Mir, who was killed in an air crash some months
ago, had links with Osama and the chief of Saudi intelligence
were "baseless and illogical."
While noting that the report was attributed to alleged confessions of top al-Qaeda militant Abu Zubaida who was caught in Pakistan and handed over to US, Rashid said his handover, along with 500 other al-Qaeda militants, showed Pakistan's sincerity in the war against terrorism.
Stating that Pakistan was a responsible state and its armed forces are well disciplined and organised, he said "during the days of jihad in Afghanistan our agencies had links with them but these were disbanded immediately after the government changed its policy in the wake of September 11, 2001 incidents."
This speaks volumes about the responsible and trustworthy approach of our institutions which later on arrested over 500 people and subsequently handed over to the US," Rashid said.
Rashid's comments follows admission by Pakistan's defence spokesman that at least three defence personnel were being investigated for their alleged links with militants.
Bureau Report
While noting that the report was attributed to alleged confessions of top al-Qaeda militant Abu Zubaida who was caught in Pakistan and handed over to US, Rashid said his handover, along with 500 other al-Qaeda militants, showed Pakistan's sincerity in the war against terrorism.
Stating that Pakistan was a responsible state and its armed forces are well disciplined and organised, he said "during the days of jihad in Afghanistan our agencies had links with them but these were disbanded immediately after the government changed its policy in the wake of September 11, 2001 incidents."
This speaks volumes about the responsible and trustworthy approach of our institutions which later on arrested over 500 people and subsequently handed over to the US," Rashid said.
Rashid's comments follows admission by Pakistan's defence spokesman that at least three defence personnel were being investigated for their alleged links with militants.
Bureau Report