No role in hampering probe: US

ISLAMABAD (APP) - US Embassy has rejected the allegations regarding any pressure on Pakistan to stop the investigations into the plane crash of former President Zia ul Haq. It is totally wrong and baseless allegation, the Spokesman of US Embassy Richard Snelsire told this news agency while commenting on the allegation to stop investigations into the plane crash. He said in this plane crash that resulted in the death of former Pakistan President Zia ul Haq, the United States also lost its Ambassador and some other senior officials. We want to get into the reality of the incident and wanted to reveal the truth, the Spokesman added. Monitoring Desk adds: US has brushed aside the allegation that Washington had forcefully hindered investigation into the plane crash of Ziaul Haq in August 1988. Ejazul Haq, Gen Zia son, has alleged that Washington forcefully hampered probe into the plane crash. I cannot point finger at any individual or a country over the murder of Gen Zia but the US did not send an FBI team to Pakistan for investigation of the tragic incident, he said. Talking to Waqt TV channel on Sunday, US Embassy spokesman, Richard Snelsire said United States Ambassador to Pakistan Arnold Raphel was also killed in the incident and his country wanted to know the truth behind it. He said the US had played no role to stop investigation report and any allegation in this connection was unsubstantiated. Meanwhile, former Intelligence Bureau chief Brig (retd) Imtiaz Ahmad has alleged that the US was behind the assassination of former army chief Gen Zia. In an interview with a private television channel, Imtiaz claimed that the US masterminded the Bahawalpur plane crash, in which Gen Zia was killed, in collaboration with internal powers of Pakistan. Former army chief Aslam Beg also says that Zias plane crash was not an accident, but a sabotage, Imtiaz added. Gen Ziaul Haq along with several of his top generals and the then US Ambassador Raphel, had been killed in a plane crash near Bahawalpur on August 17, 1988. The circumstances of the crash are still unclear.

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