Information Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan Wednesday said the action taken against Osama Bin Ladin in Abbottabad was unilateral and Pakistan has expressed deep concern and anguish to the US over it. In a policy statement in the senate, she said such action could jeopardize Pakistan’s cooperation in the ‘war on terror,’ adding that no such unilateral actions will be tolerated in the future. She said Pakistan intelligence agencies shared credible information with the US-CIA which led to the apprehension of high-value targets including from Abbottabad which was in sharp focus since 2003. Referring to Osama Bin Ladin, she said he has become a part of history.
She said Pakistan has made successful efforts to curb the menace of terrorism and has arrested a number of Al-Qaeda leaders from its soil. Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said Pakistan army and ISI have played a major role in breaking the network of Al-Qaeda which resulted in most of US and allies achievements in the region. She said as elimination of terrorism is a national priority and the government is working on a strategy to develop a continuous national consensus to root out this menace. She said the government is ready to sit with all political forces inside and outside the parliament to steer out the country from these challenges.
Firdous said Pakistan is the major victim in the war against terrorists in which over thirty thousand innocent civilians and five thousand security personnel have embraced martyrdom. She said Pakistan has rendered matchless sacrifices in this war and extended full cooperation to the international community. She said despite unprecedented cooperation in this campaign Pakistan cannot compromise its national sovereignty and integrity.
