The Hindu : Musharraf's credibility at stake: Vajpayee

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 17, 2002

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Musharraf's credibility at stake: Vajpayee

LUCKNOW, FEB. 16. Lashing out at the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, for levelling allegations against India, the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, said his credibility was at stake, and suggested that Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar could be hiding in Pakistan.

``Gen. Musharraf had said in Washington that India has carried out a nuclear test and the U.S. administration has denied it in his face, saying we do not have any such reports. After that he has not said anything,'' Mr. Vajpayee said at a press conference here.

Gen. Musharraf had also named India as being involved in the abduction of the U.S journalist, Daniel Pearl, but ``the whole world knows that India has nothing to do with it. ``Once again Gen. Musharraf's credibility is at stake. Whatever he says is taken with a pinch of salt.''

To a question on how long the military build-up on the border would last, he replied ``till such time it is needed.'' In reply to another question, he said there was a strong possibility of Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar hiding in Pakistan. ``I will not be surprised about such a possibility,'' he said. Maintaining that Pakistan was the safest place for them, he said there should be a ``thorough search there.'' Pakistan should not provide asylum to them, he added.

On the question of the U.S. threat to attack Iraq on the ground that it was sheltering terrorists, Mr Vajpayee said the Indian point of view in this regard had been conveyed to America. India was not in favour of any action against Iraq, he said. _ PTI

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