Musharraf saved Pakistan from international alienation post 9/11 : Najam Sethi

Lahore, Sep.12 (ANI): A well-known Pakistani journalist believes that former President General Pervez Musharraf had done the right thing by supporting the United States in its 'was on terror' after the 9/11 terror attacks, and therefore saved Pakistan from being alienated internationally.

Speaking during a television programme, Daily Times Editor-in-Chief Najam Sethi said Musharraf saved Pakistan from being isolated by joining the international coalition against terrorism.

"India could have allied with the US if former president Pervez Musharraf had refused to join the war on terror after the September 11 attacks," Sethi said.

Commenting on the A Q Khan issue, Sethi again supported Musharraf's actions during the nuclear proliferation controversy saying: "The former president had rescued the country's nuclear programme by sacrificing Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan over the issue of illegal nuclear proliferation."

He revealed that several Pakistani politicians maintained close links with Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden.

Sethi also disclosed that Musharraf had sent a delegation of religious scholars to Afghanistan to convince the Taliban to expel Al Qaeda and its leadership after Washington told Islamabad to ascertain whether it supported its struggle against Al-Qaeda or not.

"Tell us are you with us or not," former US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage had asked then Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Mahmood Ahmad, Sethi added. (ANI)