Pakistan: We're not 'in cahoots' with al-Qaida

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan's prime minister rejected allegations that national authorities were either complicit in hiding al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden or incompetent in tracking him down.

Yousuf Raza Gilani defended his country during an address to parliament on Monday, a week after a raid by U.S. Navy SEALs in the Pakistani garrison city of Abbottabad killed the terrorist mastermind.

He also said bin Laden's killing was proper justice.

Bin Laden's location raised suspicions that he had help from some Pakistani authorities, possibly elements of the powerful army and intelligence services.

Pakistan's armed forces have historical — some say ongoing — links with Islamist militants, which they used as proxies in Afghanistan and India.

"Allegations of complicity or incompetence are absurd," Gilani told parliament, adding that it was disingenuous for anyone to accuse Pakistan, including its spy agency, of "being in cahoots" with the al-Qaida network.

Gilani said unilateral actions such as the U.S. Navy SEALs swoop on Obama's hideout run the risk of serious consequences, but added Pakistan attached high importance to its relations with Washington.

He added that the army would investigate bin Laden's killing, and stressed the military and intelligence community in Pakistan had the government's confidence.

Gilani was speaking amid increasing political pressure over bin Laden's killing.

'We want resignations'
Pakistan's main opposition party stepped up calls for Gilani and the president, Ali Asif Zardari, to resign over the breach of sovereignty by U.S. special forces.

"We want resignations, not half-baked explanations," an official of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League told the News daily.

Ties between Islamabad and Washington, which are crucial to combating Islamist militants and the war in Afghanistan, have been strained by the raid, which was carried out without Pakistan's knowledge.

Relations were already fragile after a string of diplomatic disputes over issues including a big attack by a U.S. drone aircraft in March and Raymond Davis, a CIA contractor who shot dead two Pakistanis in the city of Lahore in January.