Pakistan has called reports that its intelligence wing — Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) — had funded the 2009 attack on a CIA camp in Afghanistan as "preposterous." Earlier this week, U.S. cables published by non-governmental research institute National Security Archivehad revealed that the ISI had offered $200,000 to the Haqqani Network, the Afghanistan-based insurgent group, for the attack, in which several Americans were killed.
Pakistan's foreign ministry dismissed the claims on Friday, as the reports were expected to impact U.S.-Pakistan relations. "Allegations in the media on Pakistan's involvement with HQN are preposterous," the ministry said in a statement.
"In fact, we were shocked and deeply saddened when precious American lives were lost at the Chapman facility in 2009 in an unfortunate attack that was later claimed by TTP in a publicly available video, featuring the suicide bomber with the leader of the TTP," the government said, referring to the Tehreek-e-Taliban, Pakistan.
The report on the U.S. cables had highlighted frequent meetings between Haqqani members and the ISI in Pakistan.
"A series of cables from January 11, 2010, and February 6, 2010 show that some funding for Haqqani attacks are still provided by the Pakistan Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate, including $200,000 for the December 30, 2009, attack on the CIA facility at Camp Chapman," according to the National Security Archive.
"As of late December 2009, at the end of every month, senior Haqqani Network leadership met with the ISID in Islamabad, the meetings were attended by Siraj Haqqani and Badruddin Haqqani. ISI Colonel Nasib chaired the meetings. An unknown amount of funding was provided to the Haqqanis for use in unspecified operations," the report said.
Pakistan said on Friday the country was fighting terrorist groups and was itself a "victim" of terror attacks.
"We wish to remind that Pakistan is among the biggest victims of terrorism, having lost tens of thousands of innocent lives, including over five thousand valiant personnel of law enforcement agencies, and economic losses to the tune of a hundred billion dollars. Pakistan is determined to eradicate the scourge of terrorism and has taken action against all terrorist elements, without discrimination," the Pakistan government said.
Pakistan's ISI has been blamed for facilitating several terror attacks in Afghanistan as well as on Indian soil. Mumbai terror attack convict David Headley recently claimed that the intelligence agency had provided financial support to Lashkar-e-Taiba, which carried out the 26/11 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai.
