No one's forgotten Pakistan sheltered Osama: India after US' Pakistan praise

NEW DELHI: As American authorities laud Pakistan's counterterrorism efforts, India said Thursday that no one has forgotten that Pakistan gave shelter to Osama Bin laden and its role in the Mumbai attacks.

Government also reminded the US that the man who helped locate Osama Bin Laden is still in a Pakistan jail.

"The record of what Pakistan actually is, is very clear. We all know the Pahalagam attack is only the most recent example of cross-border terrorism. I would remind you that only recently the conspirator of 26/11 Tahawwur Rana was extradited from the US," said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.

Rana had helped key conspirator David Headley plot the Mumbai attacks (26/11) in 2008 and was recently extradited by the US to India.

"Obviously, none of us have forgotten that Pakistan gave shelter to Osama Bin Laden. It is significant that the person - Dr Shakil Afridi - who helped locate Osama bin Laden is still imprisoned by the Pakistani military," he added.

The official was responding to questions about US Central Command (CENTCOM) commander General Michael Kurilla remark that Pakistan was a "phenomenal partner in the world of counterterrorism".

Kurilla also said the United States has to have a relationship with Pakistan and with India, and noted that it cannot be a "binary switch" where Washington cannot have ties with Islamabad if it has relations with New Delhi.