Al-Qaeda gave millions to ISI to bribe politicians, claims former FIA chief

Lahore, Aug.28 (ANI): In a startling revelation, a former Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) director Malik Mumtaz has disclosed that Al-Qaeda had given millions of rupees to the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to destabilise the Benazir Bhutto's government in 1988.

Mumtaz claimed that ISI had hatched a massive conspiracy involving former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, former ISI chief General (retired) Asad Durrani, Brigadier (retired) Imtiaz and Major (retired) Amir to overthrow the Bhutto government.

He said Osama bin Laden was behind the conspiracy and had paid millions of dollars to the ISI, The Daily Times reports.

In an interview with a private television, Mumtaz said one of his close friends had told him that the ISI was in the look out for Pakistan People's Party (PPP) legislators who would change side and join the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

When asked whether he was too a part of the conspiracy, Mumtaz said he instead informed the PPP leadership about the plot.

Meanwhile, the PML-N Information Secretary Ahsan Iqbal has rejected the allegations, saying the party never received any money from the intelligence agency.

Iqbal said that such claims were a part of maligning the PML-N leadership.

Former Director General of Intelligence Bureau (IB) Brigadier (retired) Imtiaz also rejected the allegations.

He said the charges were completely false and it was a handiwork of some 'mysterious elements' within the PPP who were trying to destabilize the country. (ANI)