Times Square bomber not Pakistani but naturalised American citizen: Qureshi

KARACHI - Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that Faisal Shahzad, the man accused of plotting the botched Times Square bombing, is not a resident of his country but a ‘naturalised American citizen.’

Qureshi, however, said that Pakistan would provide all help to the United States concerning the probe into the failed New York bombing plot.

“I will have to check. I am not aware of that but I am aware that he is a naturalised American citizen, and the Government of Pakistan will cooperate with the United States and help them in whatever way we can,” he said while responding to a question on reports regarding the recovery of two Pakistani passports from Shahzad.

Qureshi reiterated that Islamabad is sincerely probing the Mumbai terror attacks, adding that the Jamaat-ud-Daawa (JeM) chief Hafeez Muhammed Saeed, who India says had masterminded the 26/11 attacks, was released as there were no evidence against him.

“Pakistan wants cordial relations with India and we will not let any terrorist outfit sabotage the process of dialogue between the two countries,” The News quoted Qureshi, as saying.

Replying to a question during an interview, Qureshi said back channel diplomacy was of no use until front channel diplomacy between New Delhi and Islamabad succeeds, adding that he would soon invite his Indian counterpart S M Krishna to Pakistan for talks. (ANI)