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Home  » News » Pakistan's former spy chief blames US for Zia's death

Pakistan's former spy chief blames US for Zia's death

Source: PTI
Last updated on: December 19, 2005 23:15 IST
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A former Inter Services Intelligence chief has alleged that the United States was behind the 1988 plane crash in which Pakistani dictator Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq was killed along with top military generals.

Hamid Gul, former Director General Inter-Services Intelligence, told a private TV channel the US had "masterminded" the plane crash of General Haq when the plane was flying over the Pakistani city of Bahawalpur in Punjab.

About informing Haq three weeks prior to the Bahawalpur incident, Hamid Gul said that a report from ISI was submitted to him that said Haq he should restrict his movements.

"The situation was grim. The parliament was dissolved by the President at that time which annoyed the Americans," he said. We were getting indications from diplomatic channel that General Zia ul Haq had isolated himself," he said.

When asked who stopped the American FBI team to come to Pakistan to investigate the incident, General Hamid Gul quoted a former American ambassador Robert Oakley as saying that it was the former US Secretary of State George Schultz who stopped the team.

He said Pakistan at present "is playing the game of the United States."

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