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Published 17:51 IST, August 13th 2019

Pakistan & Terrorism: 6 Freudian slips by Pak leaders on Osama, Hafiz Saeed & Masood Azhar that give it all away

While Pakistan has often denied claims of harbouring terror outfits on their soil, there have been instances with Pakistani, including Imran Khan, have through Freudian slips laid bare the reality of Pakistan's intimacy with terrorism. 

Reported by: Aishwaria Sonavane
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While Pakistan has often denied claims of harbouring terror outfits on their soil, there have been instances with Pakistani, including Imran Khan, have through Freudian slips laid bare the reality of Pakistan's intimacy with terrorism. 

From former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to former President Pervez Musharraf and the current Pakistani leader Imran Khan, there has been a recorded legacy of Pakistani premiers divulging their backing for globally designated terrorists including Al Qaeda chief mastermind Osama bin Laden, 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed and Pulwama terror attack perpetrator Masood Azhar. 

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Imran Khan admits JeM is active in India 

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan asserting his duplicity towards terror in a gigantic admission has claimed that the UN-designated terrorist Masood Azhar's Jaish-e-Mohammed in 'operative in India' on July 23 during his visit to the United States this year. 

"But because this group claimed responsibility which was in India as well, Jaish-e-Muhammad was operating in India but Pakistan suddenly came into the limelight. So even before this had happened, we decided to disarm all militant groups," he said. 

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READ| IS THIS INVESTIGATION? 'We Asked Jaish' Is Imran Khan Government's Flimsy Basis For JeM Clean Chit, Despite India Giving Pakistan Evidence

Imran Khan admits 'ISI knew where Osama bin Laden was'

On July 23, during the same press brief, Khan for the first time revealed that the ISI provided intelligence to the CIA which helped the US track down and kill Osama bin Laden in Pakistan's Abbottabad. This comes as a significant development as Islamabad had so far denied having any knowledge of the dreaded al-Qaeda chief in the country. He was shot dead by US Navy Seals in 2011.

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Imran Khan's Minister admits 'Masood Azhar is in Pakistan'

On March 1, weeks after the Pulwama terror attack Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has admitted that Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar is in Pakistan and is "unwell."

The next day, in an interaction with another international news media organisation, Qureshi confessed that the  Pakistan leadership is in contact with JeM a UN-designated terror organisation.

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Nawaz Sharif's 26/11 admission

For the first time on May 12, 2018, ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif publicly acknowledged that terror outfits are active in Pakistan, moreover questioned the policy to allow 'non-state actors' to cross the border and 'kill' people in Mumbai. 

Without naming LeT chief Hafiz Saeed and JeM chief Masood Azhar, he had admitted that "militant organisations are active in Pakistan."

He said, "Call them non-state actors, should we allow them to cross the border and kill over 150 people in Mumbai? Explain it to me. Why can’t we complete the trial."

Pervez Musharraf calls himself ‘biggest supporter’ of LeT, Hafiz Saeed

Calling himself the "biggest supporter" of the LeT and its founder Hafiz Saeed, Pakistan’s former dictator Parvez Musharraf had said on November 29, 2017, that he backs the terror group’s role in "suppressing" the Indian Army in Kashmir.

READ| FINALLY, PAK ADMITS: 'ISI Knew Where Osama Bin Laden Was,' Reveals Imran Khan After 8 Years Of Pakistan's Lies

"They (LeT) are the biggest force. India got them declared as terrorists after partnering with the US. Yes, they (LeT) are involved in Kashmir but in Kashmir, it is between us and India," he told the ARY News.

Pervez Musharraf called Osama bin Laden and Taliban 'heroes for Pakistan'

The former President of the neighbour on October 28, 2015, had noted that former Al Qaeda chief and 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden and Taliban were heroes for Pakistan. 

He admitted that LeT were 'supported and trained' in Pakistan, moreover called Mumbai terror attacks perpetrators Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and Hafiz Saeed as 'freedom fighters'

"In the 1990s the freedom struggle began in Kashmir...At that time Lashkar-e-Toiba and 11 or 12 other organisations were formed. We supported them and trained them as they were fighting in Kashmir at the cost of their lives," Musharraf said.

"The Kashmiri freedom fighters including Hafiz Saeed and Lakhvi were our heroes at that time. Later on, the religious militancy turned into terrorism. Now they (referring to terrorism in Pakistan) are killing their own people here and this should be controlled and stopped. We trained the Taliban and sent them to fight against Russia. Taliban, Haqqani, Osama Bin Laden and Zawahiri were our heroes then. Later they became villains," he added.
 

17:43 IST, August 13th 2019