Pakistan had formulated its post-9/11 policy many hours before the US official, Richard Armitage's threat "to bomb Pakistan back to Stone Age" was received by the government, says Abdul Sattar, who was foreign minister at that time.
"That policy was formulated on the basis of analysis of the situation created by the terrorist attacks, in anticipation of US demands of Pakistan and discussion of Pakistan's options, in a meeting that started at 8 pm on September 12, when the time in Washington was 11 am. Islamabad had not until then received a communication from Washington about DG ISI's meeting with Armitage", he said in recent newspaper write-up.
Armitage has publicly denied using words to bomb Pakistan back to the Stone Age, saying that what he told the ISI chief in their meeting in Washington was a "strong message", that "this was a black and white issue...Pakistan was either with us or against us, and that US-Pakistan history would begin on that day".
However, there is no record of the exact words conveyed to President Musharraf by the ISI chief, said Sattar, and added: "What is available to Islamabad is the telegraphic report of the conversation sent by Pakistan's Ambassador, who was present in the meeting with Armitage."
Without revealing a word about that report, the former foreign minister has made the cryptic observation that the 'Stone Age' part "dramatises and perhaps even distorts the exchange for book publicity".
Abdul Sattar has pleaded for lifting the veil of secrecy from the episode for the purpose of "historical accuracy, and authenticity would be better served". He said that the President is unlikely to be asked for divulging privileged information, arguing that the information given out by the President was already available in the book by American author Bob Woodward and the US 9/11 Commission report.
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