Gilani to warn US over Osama raid: Telegraph
PM will take an aggressive stand to shore up the government's position in a national address.
LONDON:
Yusuf Raza Gilani will seek to restore some dignity in an address to the nation after the humiliation caused when American forces killed Osama bin Laden at a compound close to Pakistan’s main military academy in Abbottabad last week without alerting Pakistan, the daily Telegraph website reported on Sunday.
A senior government source close to the prime minister said Mr Gilani will take an aggressive stand to shore up the government’s position, the paper said.
The source said: “The Prime Minister will say that the United States should not have bypassed Pakistan. We have made a huge contribution in fighting terrorism. We’ve arrested close to 100 al-Qaeda people, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.
“We’ll take appropriate action if any further violation takes place. We will defend our air space by any means we have.”
He will say that Washington’s decision to launch the raid without consulting Islamabad had plunged military and political relations between the frosty allies to a new low.
Sources in Mr Gilani’s office said the country’s air defences on its Western border will now be upgraded to confront any future US raids from bases in Afghanistan.
Mr Gilani is also expected to announce his own inquiry and to consult opposition leaders about the future of Pakistan’s relationship with the United States.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 9th, 2011.
Yusuf Raza Gilani will seek to restore some dignity in an address to the nation after the humiliation caused when American forces killed Osama bin Laden at a compound close to Pakistan’s main military academy in Abbottabad last week without alerting Pakistan, the daily Telegraph website reported on Sunday.
A senior government source close to the prime minister said Mr Gilani will take an aggressive stand to shore up the government’s position, the paper said.
The source said: “The Prime Minister will say that the United States should not have bypassed Pakistan. We have made a huge contribution in fighting terrorism. We’ve arrested close to 100 al-Qaeda people, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.
“We’ll take appropriate action if any further violation takes place. We will defend our air space by any means we have.”
He will say that Washington’s decision to launch the raid without consulting Islamabad had plunged military and political relations between the frosty allies to a new low.
Sources in Mr Gilani’s office said the country’s air defences on its Western border will now be upgraded to confront any future US raids from bases in Afghanistan.
Mr Gilani is also expected to announce his own inquiry and to consult opposition leaders about the future of Pakistan’s relationship with the United States.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 9th, 2011.