Country was not “in cahoots with al Qaeda,” he says
In a speech to the Pakistani parliament, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani denounced claims his country was either incompetent or uncooperative in the search for al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. “It is disingenuous for anyone to blame Pakistan or any state institution of Pakistan…for being in cahoots with al-Qaeda,” Mr. Gilani told lawmakers. “It was al-Qaeda and its affiliates that carried out hundreds of suicide bombings in nearly every town and city of Pakistan.” The high-level military operation has put a marked strain on relations between the U.S. and Pakistan, which has accused the Americans of violating its sovereignty. Pakistani opposition leader Nisar Ali Khan asked the government to explain “how four helicopters intruded Pakistan in the dark of the night!” The comment was loudly applauded by parliamentarians. Mr. Gilani also used the address to announce an investigation into the raid by Pakistan’s military, elements of which the U.S. says helped shield bin Laden.