Karzai, Gilani dismiss WikiLeaks’ revelations

KABUL - Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani have dismissed whistleblower website WikiLeaks’ revelations about their respective countries as alternately false, unreliable and the work of “junior officers”.

Karzai and Gilani held a joint press conference in Kabul on Saturday.

When Gilani was asked about a cable that said his government lacked the ability to control its own military and intelligence services, he said, “I would request you not to trust WikiLeaks.”

“These are just the views of junior officers. They are not authentic. We should not even take them seriously,” he added.

Karzai seemed at times statesmanlike, but overall he seemed more inclined to put the revelations behind him.

In response to questions, Karzai said that he was sure that the way the cables characterized his ministers’ remarks was not correct.

“Take the example of Zakhilwal. I am sure they are not true,” the New York Times quoted Karzai, as saying.

Afghanistan Finance Minister Omar Zakhilwal was reported to have called Karzai “an extremely weak man.” However, he denied the comments in another press conference held on Saturday.

The Afghan President also said that people might say things casually in private that might not reflect their more considered and accurate positions.

“People say things to other people not necessarily to be a part that they want to take home, and I understand some of the ministers may have been talking about me and some of them have done, I know, and other ministers in future may do the same,” Karzai said.

“But we will not have a WikiLeaks to reveal that,” he added. (ANI)