This Article is From Nov 30, 2009

Pakistan fumes over Britain rap on terror

Islamabad: Pakistan has reacted strongly to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's call for it to take tougher action against Al-Qaida and find Osama bin Laden, saying no one should doubt its efforts in the war against terrorism.

"Pakistan has played its role in fighting Al-Qaida and other terrorists. Over the past eight years, we have captured or killed 700 Al-Qaida operatives. No one should have doubts about our efforts," said Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit.

Basit said Pakistan was surprised by Brown's call to do more in the campaign against Al-Qaida.

He said the world community has appreciated Pakistan's efforts in the war on terror.

"Osama bin Laden's whereabouts are not known to anyone. If anyone knows (where he is), it would be better if the information is shared with Pakistan instead of the matter being discussed in the media," he said.

Pakistan will act promptly if such information is shared with it, he said.

Ahead of a visit to Britain by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani later this week, Brown said in an interview that Pakistan must do more to "break" Al-Qaida and find Osama bin Laden.

"We've got to ask ourselves why, eight years after September 11, nobody has been able to spot or detain or get close to Osama bin Laden, nobody's been able to get close to (Ayman) Zawahiri, the number two in Al-Qaida," he said.
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