Pakistan refuses to comment on ex-defence minister's revelations on Osama, calls it his individual view

In the first official reaction by Pakistan days after CNN-IBN's expose revealed that the top authorities knew of Osama's presence in the country, Pakistan's foreign office has refused to comment.

Terming former defence minister Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar's statements as his personal opinion, Pakistan said it "will not comment on the views of an individual, expressed in his private capacity."

A massive political storm has been stirred in Pakistan over the former defence minister's revelations that the top authorities in the country knew about the presence of Osama bin Laden. Pakistan National Security Advisor Sartaj Aziz has sought a clarification from the Chudhry. Sources also said that he has left Pakistan.

In fact, in a shocking statement, former interior minister Rehman Malik claimed that Mukhtar was not a defence minister. He also claimed that Mukhtar did not understand the anchor's question and language acted as a barrier. "Nobody knew Osama lived in Pakistan," Malik said.

Earlier, former aide of ex Pakistani Army chief and dictator General Pervez Musharraf, Rashid Qureshi asserted that the claims made by Chaudhry Mukhtar are wrong and that the former defence minister is lying.

"I cannot believe Mukhtar has said this, if this is true then there's something wrong with Mukhtar. The revelation comes as a shock to entire Pakistan but I do not and I have not heard Mukhtar saying that president of Pakistan knew where Osama bin Laden was before that operation was carried out to kill him," he said.

Chaudhry Ahmed Mukthar was the defence minister of Pakistan between 2008 and 2012. He was part of the top five ministers in the cabinet of the then prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani. A long time member of the Pakistan People's Party, Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar had the ear of his boss, President Asif Ali Zardari.

It is for the first time, four and a half years after the killing of Osama Bin Laden, that an insider has revealed a truth that Pakistan deliberately and carefully hid from the rest of the world.

Here's why this is important. Contrast the admission by the then Pakistan defence minister to all the official reactions of Pakistani authorities in the immediate aftermath of Osama's killing.