Pakistan Tries to Dismiss Criticism Following Operation Geronimo

In an attempt to dismiss criticism of the way Pakistan handled the US operation that resulted in the death of Osama Bin Laden, Pakistani Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir on Thursday told reporters that two F-16 fighter planes were airborne upon knowing about the raid. However, by that time, the US helicopters had left for Afghanistan, he said. Bashir asked Washington to abandon the notion that Islamabad was aware of Bin Laden’s presence in Abbottabad. Defending the military, Bashir said, “Pakistani security forces are neither incompetent nor negligent about the sacred duty to the nation to protect Pakistan,” without elaborating further.