9/11 Planned in Karachi: Chris Alexander

Chris Alexander is the former Canadian ambassador to Afghanistan. (IANS photo)

NEW DELHI (IANS) – Former Canadian minister and diplomat Chris Alexander has hit out at Pakistan saying it should compensate 9/11 victims as the attacks were planned in Karachi.

The former Canadian ambassador to Afghanistan says the Afghan assets belong to the people of the war-torn country, not to the Pakistanis.

“Assets of the Central Bank of Afghanistan belong to Afghans — not to the Pakistani military’s terrorist proxies or their victims. Pakistan should compensate victims of 9/11 — attacks planned in Karachi under a leader protected by Pakistan up to 2011″, Alexander who was Canada’s Minister of Citizenship and Immigration said in a tweet with hashtag #SanctionPakistan.

The United States has announced that it will give half of $7 billion funds of Afghanistan for 9/11 victims.

“Six months ago, the US, @UN & @NATO abandoned Afghanistan to terrorist thugs sponsored by Pakistan. Stop clinging to a failed strategy that leaves Afghans in agony & makes the whole world less safe. Act now to end famine & oppression”, Alexander said in another tweet.

Earlier, Pakistan has questioned the US decision of setting aside half of the Afghan assets held in America for the victims of the 9/11 attacks, saying utilization of Afghan funds should be the “sovereign decision of Afghanistan.”

The reaction from the Pak foreign office came after President Joe Biden decided to split $7 billion foreign assets of Afghanistan between the victims of the 9/11 attacks and for the humanitarian assistance of Afghanistan.

“Pakistan has seen the US decision to unfreeze the Afghan assets held by the US banks to release $3.5 billion for humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan and $3.5 billion for compensation to families of 9/11 victims,” Pak Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar said in a carefully worded sta