Islamabad: Dismissing as "speculation" reports that the US Special Operations Group has been tasked to track down Osama bin Laden within Pakistan's territory, Islamabad said on Tuesday that there was nothing to suggest the al-Qaeda leader or Taliban Chief Mullah Omar were hiding in the country.
"Pakistan is responsible for any operation on its side of the border against any terrorists," Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said, refuting reports that the US Special Operations Group has been tasked to track Osama and termed these as mere "speculation".
About reports regarding the presence of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, she said, "there is no evidence to suggest that". She also rubbished reports about sighting of Mullah Omar and termed it a baseless allegation.
Pakistan is in the process of citing Ramzan moon and has not cited Omar yet, she said in a lighter vein.
Her comments came as hardline Islamic party Jammat-e-Islami's leader Khurshid Ahmed expressed concern over reports that US Special Operations Group has been tasked to track down Osama bin Laden within Pakistan's territory.
"If true this is a clear infringement of Pakistan's sovereignty," Khurshid Ahmad said in a statement, adding, "It also poses a threat to ongoing efforts at establishing peace in the tribal areas".
Asked how Pakistan viewed the post 9/11 scenario, she said, "We need a long term strategy to address political disputes, sense of alienation, removal of grievances, depravation of socio-economic issues".
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