Islamabad, Sept 09: Pakistan today brushed aside the
US reports suggesting that top al Qaeda leaders have converted
Karachi into their major operational base and American forces,
chasing Islamic militants, freely cross back and forth at the
Pak-Afghan border without valid permits.
Reacting to the reports published prominently in Pakistan
media today that Osama bin Laden has established a formidable
network in the port city of Karachi, Pakistan foreign office
spokesman Aziz Ahemed Khan said these reports are "totally
speculative".
On another question about fixing a timeframe for the
crackdown on al Qaeda militants in Pakistan, he said Islamabad
has to be vigilant. "It cannot allow any terrorist activity
on or from its soil", he said.
He also said the reports of us soldiers freely crossing
into Pakistan borders while pursuing al Qaeda militants were
wrong. Pakistan's interior minister, Moinuddin Haider, during
his recent visit to Tehran, had officially conveyed that
Islamabad did not push al Qaeda militants into Iran.
"We have offered cooperation to Iran for keeping vigil on
Pak-Iran border for this purpose", he said.
Asked about strong comments made by us national security
advisor Condoleeza Rice on the restoration of democracy in
Pakistan, he said it was a comment of an individual.
Bureau Report
