Bhutto had asked PAF to be ready to attack India`s N-sites:Beg

Rezaul H Laskar

Islamabad, Aug 31 (PTI) Slain former premier Benazir
Bhutto had directed the Pakistan Air Force to be ready to
attack India's nuclear facilities in case Pakistan's atomic
installations were targeted in 1990, former army chief Gen
Mirza Aslam Beg has claimed.

Bhutto, the then prime minister, issued the directive
to the PAF after reports surfaced that the US, Israelis and
Indians were allegedly planning to attack Pakistan's nuclear
facilities, Beg told a TV news channel in an interview.

He did not give further details.

Beg also claimed that the Saudis had given "bags full
of money" to late politician Mahmood Haroon to woo political
leaders to join the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad, which was formed
in 1988 to ensure that Bhutto did not return to power.

The money was also meant to fund IJI's election
campaign, he said.

The former army chief said Haroon had claimed that the
"money bags" were so heavy that his "shoulders hurt for days".

Beg said Bhutto had posed "no threat to national
security", thus dismissing reports of his differences with the
late premier. Bhutto remained "rock solid" in 1990 amid
reports of a conspiracy against Pakistan, he said. PTI