E-Paper
No threat of US attack to hunt Osama, Pak says
Pakistan has said there was no threat of US-led coalition forces launching attacks to hunt Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
Dismissing reports that Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was hiding in its northwestern province, Pakistan has said there was no threat of US-led coalition forces launching attacks to hunt the fugitive.
"There is no such threat," Interior Minister Aftab Khan Sherpao told reporters in Peshawar while ruling out the chances of coalition forces resorting to attacks to apprehend Osama.
He said reports that Osama was spotted in Upper Dir in the NWFP province was mere speculation.
"These are mere speculations, mostly raised by the Hamid Karzai-led Afghan government. There is no possibility of presence of Osama, or his men in the forests and hard terrains of Dir Upper, or anywhere else in the country. Hence there is no threat of any attack by coalition forces," Sherpao was quoted as saying by The News.
He said allegations by Afghan government that Pakistan was harbouring Taliban leaders was an attempt to "hide their failures."
"Pakistan has been extending maximum cooperation and assistance to Afghanistan for restoration of peace in the war-ravaged country, as a stable Afghanistan is vital for us also".
He said Pakistan army operation in Waziristan was being conducted against foreign militants and not local tribesmen.
