ISLAMABAD – Setting the record straight about information regarding the presence of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, former Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani broke the silence and shed light on facts.
A journalist, Syed Haider Raza Mehdi, in a previous write up claimed that “Only Gen. Kayani knows and perhaps this cigar smoking, scotch drinking ex-army dude, called Col. Iqbal (Bailey)”.
Citing revelation made Lt Gen Asad Durrani, former chief of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), in his recent book, Medi said, “If the above are correct. Then Gen. Kayani is clearly the major player in 1 and 2 àbove”.
Urging the former army chief, he had written, “Only he [Kayani] has the answers. And his silence will not help him”.
The issues pertaining to OSL’s killing and US invasion again revived When Durrani’s recent book, co-authored by India’s former spymaster AS Dulat, made headlines with shocking revelations. He claimed that a special deal had been struck between the US and Pakistani governments in this regard.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/headline/isi-allowed-cias-operation-in-abbottabad-ex-isi-chief-claims-in-shocking-book-co-authored-with-ex-raw-chief/
Following the claims by the journalist, Kayani contacted him and clear the misconception regarding the involvement of Pakistan army in the US operation against bin Laden, Mehdi added.
“A few hours ago I received a call from Gen. Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, former Army Chief with reference to my earlier piece about him being perhaps the only person who knew the mystery of the Osama Bin Ladin US operation”.
During the conversation, Kayani said:”……the truth is that we didn’t know about Osama Bin Ladin’s presence and there is absolutely no question of any collusion or cooperation with the US. And I’m telling you this as the absolute truth….”
The ex-army chief added, “…..in fact all they had to do was tell us, and we would have mopped it up in a couple of hours without all these helicopters etc”.
Kayani said, he has taken full responsibility for lapse during the US operations, adding, “However, and I’ve never stated this earlier, because it was for me to take the blame, but Air Defence is not under the Army. Nevertheless, I told the Air Chief to keep quiet, not say anything and let me take the full blame…..”
Giving clarification about his alleged meeting with America’s Gen. David Petraeus before the operation, he said, “……My visit to the US Aircraft Carrier took place in 2008, three years before the Osama affair. Its very surprising how people completely misrepresent and distort obvious facts to prove their points…..”.
Osama bin Laden was killed in a firefight with US forces in Pakistan’s garrison city of Abbottabad on May 1, 2011, ending a nearly 10-year worldwide hunt for the then chief of the Al Qaeda militant organization.
Contrary to reports, Pakistan officially denies that the ISI protected Osama bin Laden or that it had played any role in the May 2011 raid in Abbottabad.
