Gohar Ayub Khan makes new allegations, stops short of naming

New Delhi, May 7 (UNI) Former Pakistan President Muhammad Ayub Khan's son today provided more details about the identity of the senior Indian Army officer who allegedly sold the country's war plans to Pakistanis in the 1960s, but stopped short of naming him.

Speaking to CNBC-TV 18, Gohar Ayub Khan revealed the officer was from the first batch of Indian Military Academy, commissioned in the 4th Battalion of the 12 Frontier Force, wounded in the Burma campaign in 1942 for which he was awarded the Militray Cross and rose to the highest possible rank in the Indian Army.

When asked that the description fitted former Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, the former Pakistani Minister said, ''I would not name him, the individual. You possibly can fit the cap from what you have heard from me.'' ''I am not naming the gentleman. You have to fit the cap,'' he repeated.

Gohar Ayub Khan was giving details from his father's 599-page book 'Diaries of Field Marshal Muhammad Ayub Khan 1966-1972', published 33 years after his death.

Meanwhile, senior Defence Ministry official termed the new revelations ''mischievous, childish and malicious''. ''If so many details had been given, what stopped Gohar from actually naming the person?'' the official asked.

Lieutenant-General (retd) JFR Jacob, who had served with Field Marshal Manekshaw, also termed it ''absurd and a malicious lie''.

Two years ago, Gohar Ayub Khan had claimed his father had given him the name of an Indian Director of Military Operations from the 1950s who had sold the country's war plans to Pakistan for Rs 20,000. But amid speculation he had refused to name the officer.

UNI