ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Monday regretted the ‘unilateral action’ by the United States in Abbottabad and warned that any attack on Pakistan’s strategic assets would be retaliated with full force.
“Let no one draw any wrong conclusions. Any attack against Pakistan’s strategic assets whether overt or covert will find a matching response,” Gilani told the National Assembly in a policy statement over the US military operation in Abbottabad on May 2.
“Pakistan reserves the right to retaliate with full force. No one should underestimate the resolve and capability of our nation and Armed Forces to defend our sacred homeland,” he said amidst heavy thumping of desks by the Parliamentarians.
The statement by the Prime Minister follows the May 2 US attack deep inside Pakistan’s territory by a group of its Navy SEALs that killed the 9/11 terrorist mastermind and leader of al-Qaeda Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad. He said an investigation into the matter had been ordered which shall be conducted by Adjutant General of the Pakistan Army Lt. Gen. Javed Iqbal.
He also informed the Parliament that the US used its technological ability to evade Pakistan’s radar system. The Prime Minister pointing to the US military operation said “Our people are rightly incensed on the issue of violation of sovereignty as typified by the covert US air and ground assault on the Osama hideout in Abbottabad.”
He said it has raised questions about Pakistan’s defence capability and the security of country’s strategic assets. He said the Abbottabad episode illustrates that Pakistan’s military quickly responded to the US Forces covert incursion. “The Air Force was ordered to scramble. Ground units arrived at the scene quickly ... Our response demonstrates that our Armed Forces reacted, as was expected of them.”
He, however said that there was no denying the US technological ability to evade radars. “We regret that this unilateral action was undertaken without our concurrence,” Gilani said.
“Unilateralism runs the inherent risk of serious consequences,” he said and pointed that the operation could have gone wrong as was seen by the abandoning of a US helicopter that had to be destroyed on the site. Gilani admitted an intelligence failure, not only of Pakistan, but also of global agencies. “Yes, there has been an intelligence failure. It is not only ours but of all the intelligence agencies of the world.”
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