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PM told Bin Laden not in Pakistan | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Pakistan's PM Yousuf Raza Gilani has told Gordon Brown he does not think Osama Bin Laden is in his country. | |
Speaking after talks with the UK prime minister, Mr Gilani said the US had provided no "actionable" intelligence on the al-Qaeda leader's whereabouts. | |
Mr Brown hailed Pakistan's anti-terror efforts and pledged more support to help stabilise its border regions. | |
But the UK prime minister did not repeat his weekend call for Pakistan to do more to track down Bin Laden. | |
Questioned about these comments at a Downing Street news conference, Mr Brown hailed Pakistan's efforts to "disrupt the activities of al-Qaeda" in its South Waziristan region and vowed to continue sharing intelligence with "our allies". | |
Mr Gilani praised America's cooperation with Pakistan on security issues but he said Pakistan had yet to be given any "credible or actionable information" by the US on Bin Laden. | |
'More clarity' | |
He added: "I doubt the information which you are giving is correct because I don't think Osama Bin Laden is in Pakistan." | |
The Pakistan prime minister also said he wanted "more clarity" from the Americans on US President Barack Obama's new Afghanistan war strategy before his country could take action on it. | |
This is your fight but it is also Britain's fight Gordon Brown, UK prime minister | |
He said President Obama had discussed plans to send 30,000 extra troops to Afghanistan with Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari but added that Pakistan was still seeking more details. | |
He said: "Regarding the new policy, we are carefully examining it. We have already issued a statement through the foreign office and we are looking into how we will be able to implement it and we need more clarity on it as well." | |
Mr Gilani praised Britain's record of cooperation with Pakistan and said Mr Brown had agreed in their talks to press for "early commencement of free trade negotiations with the European Union". | |
'Work together' | |
Mr Brown began the Downing Street press conference by praising Pakistan's efforts to counter the Taliban and acknowledged the "huge sacrifices" made by the country in fighting extremism. | Mr Brown began the Downing Street press conference by praising Pakistan's efforts to counter the Taliban and acknowledged the "huge sacrifices" made by the country in fighting extremism. |
He stressed Britain's support for the battle against militants in its border regions, telling Mr Gilani: "This is your fight but it is also Britain's fight." | |
He said aid being provided by Britain would go into reconstruction, education and the relocation of people displaced by fighting in Pakistan's turbulent border regions with Afghanistan. | He said aid being provided by Britain would go into reconstruction, education and the relocation of people displaced by fighting in Pakistan's turbulent border regions with Afghanistan. |
He then pledged £50m to help Pakistan achieve the "long-term stabilisation" of the border region: "The international community expects much of Pakistan... What we've all got to do is work together (and) step up our efforts." | |
Mr Brown said last weekend that questions must be asked about why nobody has been able to "spot or detain" either al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden or his deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri in the eight years since the September 11 attacks in the US. |