London, May 2: Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf today said the American operation against Osama bin Laden in Pakistani soil was a "violation of our sovereignty" and felt the Gilani government should have been kept in the loop.
Musharraf, who has repeatedly denied US intelligence that the world's most wanted terrorist was inside Pakistan, said he was surprised how he was found in a mansion in Abbottabad, 120 km from the capital Islamabad.
The former Pakistan Army Chief, who was the President during the 2001 terror strike in US masterminded by bin Laden, however said the killing of al Qaeda boss was a "victory" for the people of Pakistan and all peace-loving people of the world.
"American troops coming across the border and taking action in one of our towns that is Abbotabad is not acceptable to the people of Pakistan and is a violation of our sovereignty, our sensitivity." he told TV channels.
"Foreign troops crossing the border into Pakistan will not be liked by the people of Pakistan. US forces should not have crossed over into Pakistan," he said, adding "handling and execution of the operation (by US forces) is not correct.
The Pakistani government should have been kept in the loop." In Musharraf's view, it is this lack of trust that is "very bad" because the two countries are fighting the same enemy.
"We are fighting al-Qaeda, we have to fight the Taliban and we have to be together strategically. I know that Pakistan is totally onboard in fighting al-Qaeda and Taliban," he said.
Expressing surprise at how bin Laden was present in the military garisson town of Abbotabad, he however said he did not have the details.
"I don't know whether he was staying there, I don't know whether he was coming and going there or only his family was living there...I don't know these details," he said.
He however said that a house being so close there whether he must have been visiting is a "failure" of intelligence.
Musharraf did not think that there is any "local official collusion".
"I don't think there is any local official collusion (with bin-Laden). That possibility is not there but, however, some local people colluding is a possibility. Battle has been won but the war continues." PTI
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