Pak ‘knew’ about Osama''s presence

New Delhi, October 13

Pakistan's top civilian and military leadership knew about Osama bin Laden's presence in the country much before the US Navy SEALs killed him in a raid in 2011, the then defence minister of Pakistan has claimed.

The Pakistani establishment, the country's powerful army chief and the intelligence agency ISI were aware that Osama was living in Abbottabad, said Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar, who was Pakistan's defence minister between 2008 and 2012.

Pakistan ex-President Asif Ali Zardari, then army chief Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and joint chief of staff all knew that Osama was in Pakistan, Mukhtar told a news channel. His admissions are contrary to what Pakistan has been claiming so far that it was unaware of Osama's presence in the country until the US Navy SEALs killed him in May 2011. — PTI