Pointless probing just one person: Nawaz Sharif on Durrani

Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday dwelled upon the controversy revolving around former chief of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lieutenant General (retired) Asad Durrani, saying that there is no point probing meagre one person.

The former head of ISI Lt. Gen. Durrani has been facing ire for co-authoring a book named 'Spy Chronicles: RAW, ISI and the Illusion of Peace' with former chief of Indian intelligence, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) AS Dulat.

"Lt. Gen. Durrani penned down the book but former president General (retired) Pervez Musharraf and former Chief of General Staff (CGS) Shahid Aziz have given statements as well. A national inquiry commission should be formed after an advisory meeting to go into depth of the issue," Geo TV reported, quoting Sharif, as saying.

According to Geo TV's report, Sharif remarked, "Asad Durrani has made important statements in the book."

On that note, it is pertinent to mention, earlier former RAW chief AS Dulat has defended Lt. Gen. Durrani, saying, "There are no new things in the book."

"His views are well-known. There are no new things in the book ('Spy Chronicles: RAW, ISI and the Illusion of Peace'). This is very unfortunate that such things are being done to Asad Durrani," former RAW chief Dulat told ANI.

"Things written in book are his (Durrani's) memories. Even former Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammad Khan said that 26/11 Mumbai attacks destroyed Pakistan's credibility in Kashmir. If a former foreign secretary can get away with it, why not ISI chief?" Dulat added.

Lt. Gen. Durrani, whose, name was placed on the Pakistan's Exit Control List (ECL) on Monday met with the senior officers of the Pakistan Army at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi to give an explanation for co-authoring a book with Dulat.

In the book, which has recently been published, Lt. Gen. Durrani made certain observations, including a claim that then prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani was aware of the US Navy Seals operation against Osama Bin Ladin in Abbottabad and that a special deal was struck between the US and Pakistani governments in this regard.

Post the book release, Lt. Gen. Durrani was asked to clarify his position in the context of the military code of conduct that bars any serving or retired military official from making remarks that compromise the country's national security.