Osama, Mullah Omar not in Pak, says Gilani

Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday said neither Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden nor Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Omar were present in Pakistan, a day after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton' assertion that the Laden is still in the country.

Gilani said the US should provide "credible and verifiable information" if they think Osama bin Laden is in Pakistan as he stressed that bin Laden nor Taliban leader Omar were in the country.

Gilani made the remarks during an interaction with a delegation of the All Pakistan News Agencies Council in Islamabad.

He said there was "no discussion" on Laden with Clinton during her visit to Pakistan.

"The US should provide evidence if they think Osama bin Laden is in Pakistan," Gilani was quoted as saying by news channels.

The US or anyone else having "credible and verifiable information" about the terrorist leaders should share it with the government, he said.

During an interaction with the media on Monday, Clinton said she believed bin Laden was still in Pakistan and that it would be helpful if he and other Qaeda and Taliban leaders were killed or captured.

Clinton has ruffled feathers in Islamabad by commenting on several occasions since October last year that bin Laden was present in Pakistan.