Lahore, May 30: Pakistan's former ISI chief Gen (Retd) Ziauddin on Saturday said former ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf had given asylum to Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in order to "mint money" from the United States, reports The News.
At a Youm-e-Takbeer ceremony titled ‘Thank you Dr Qadeer Khan' held under the auspicious of Mohsin-e-Pakistan Lovers Foundation and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) at Punjabi Complex here on Saturday,
Retd Gen Ziauddin claimed that Gen Pervez Musharraf had given asylum to Osama bin Laden, but
kept extraditing other people, so that US could continue pouring in money to Pakistan.
Gen (retd) Ziauddin said that ex-DG Ejaz Shah had colluded with Musharraf in this job and General (retd) Mehmood could also be part of that job too.
Gen Retd Ziauddin was ISI Chief on October 12, 1999, when Musharraf staged the armed coup and dislodged Nawaz Sharif from power. Ziauddin, who refused to join the coup, was put in solitary confinement.
When asked had Musharraf handed Osama bin Laden over to anyone before departing, he said : 'Absolutely'.
He said you could see how Ejaz Shah had enjoyed perks still today and he was still travelling in a car with green number plate.
The former general said that how it was possible that Osama had been living near Abbottabad army academy for five years without any information to the ISI.
In such a period at least eleven or twelve times, the houses in the vicinity were searched, then how was it that Osama was not found, he asked.
Ziauddin said that the whole "gang" of General Musharraf was corrupt and Musharraf and his accomplices were minting money with both hands.
He said that besides General (R) Tanvir Naqvi and another general, all were plundering the country.
He said that Musharraf had already made a plan to usurp power. He said, “When I was DG ISI Musharraf used to set spy on me.”
While speaking on the dual policy of Musharraf, he said that he had sent a man to India for secret contact and when I as DG ISI summoned that person, at first that person refused but when I put proof before him then he admitted to visit India on Musharraf's direction.
Retd Gen Ziauddin said that he had been associated with Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan for three years and all allegations against him were false. "He is hero of the nation and a most intelligent person, if given chance Dr Qadeer would solve the issue of energy within six months".
Addressing the gathering over telephone, Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan said that youths should come forward to save Pakistan. He said that revolution was the only solution to all problems plaguing the country.
He said that Pakistan's situation was extremely bad and people were fed up with price hike, anarchy and unemployment.
