This Article is From Jul 17, 2010

Qureshi went too far, says ex-ISI chief

Islamabad: Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi was wrong in comparing the statements made by Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed and Indian Home Secretary G K Pillai, former ISI chief Hamid Gul has said.  

Gul, however also remarked that the timing of Pillai's statement was not appropriate. He said that the remarks were unnecessary, from both sides.

"I think that it was not necessary nor for Mr Pillai to come out with this on the eve of the talks and nor for our Foreign Minister to have gone to the extent to say this because I think it is only going exasperate already flared up sentiments. I think we need to douse the fires of aggression," he said.

But significantly, Gul chose not to make any comment on David Headley's revelation that the ISI planned and executed the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

In an interview to the Indian Express earlier this week, Pillai said that Pakistani-American terrorist David Headley's questioning had confirmed "ISI had a much more significant role to play in Mumbai attacks... ISI was literally controlling and coordinating the attacks from the beginning till the end." Headley was interrogated in America recently by Indian officials.

Pillai was attacked by the Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi during a press briefing on Thursday night that concluded six-hour talks with his Indian counterpart SM Krishna.

These comments are "uncalled for," Qureshi had said curtly at a joint press conference he held with Krishna. Qureshi said Pillai's comments had been discussed during his talks with Krishna and claimed both agreed they were "uncalled for". Krishna, who sat beside him, said nothing to that. The BJP has attacked Krishna for not defending Pillai in Pakistan.





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