Islamabad: Exposed by the US action that eliminated Osama bin Laden in the heart of the country, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani today sought to turn the tables on its ally, asking who was was responsible for the rise of al-Qaeda chief.
“We cannot be blamed for flawed policies and blunders of others. Pakistan is not the birthplace of al-Qaeda. We did not invite Osama bin Laden to Pakistan or even to Afghanistan,” he told the National Assembly, a week after the US operation that killed bin Laden in his safe house in Abbottabad, not far away from here.
He blamed “failure” of global intelligence agencies in not locating bin Laden and praised the role of both ISI and the army.
“There are no differences between state institutions (of Pakistan).