Islamabad: Rejecting reported claims by its officials that Osama bin Laden was "hours and days away" from being captured, Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has said the terrorist mastermind was not in the country, even as it gave a clean-chit to hardline Jamaat-e-Islami party on its alleged al-Qaida links.

"It is a question of common sense. If any intelligence agency would get a clue of this nature, why would it leak this information to anyone. It could be counter- productive," an unidentified "top ISI" official told local media on March 12, when asked about ISI's claims, reported by Western media.

"We don't know how such impressions were created. At a briefing session for the foreign media, no such assertions were made that could lead to such a conclusion," he said.

He said according to the best assessment of the ISI, bin Laden was not on Pakistani soil. However, Pakistani intelligence agencies would always promptly react to any lead received from international intelligence networks, he said.

The official said during interrogation of top al-Qaida operative Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, who was arrested from the house of a Jamaat leader in Rawalpindi, he told interrogators that he met bin Laden in December 2002. But later he changed the story and said he had not seen him lately.

When Mohammad's answers were leaked to the foreign press, stories of bin Laden's imminent arrest started getting circulated, he said.

The ISI official also said there was no evidence to suggest that Jamaat-e-Islami had links with al-Qaida, even though there was a possibility that some party members could have connection with some al-Qaida activists.

The official also insisted that Mohammad was arrested by local Law-enforcement agencies, while Federal bureau of Investigation (FBI) provided the information.

Denying reports that FBI personnel took part in the raid conducted on the residence of the local Jamaat leader in Rawalpindi, he said, "FBI is involved only in providing information, since they have better equipment and data-base. The FBI gets involved at the interrogation stage."

The ISI official also denied the perception that the raids were being carried out against al-Qaida suspects to please the Americans.

It was a "totally wrong notion" and "what we are doing is for the sake and interest of Pakistan," he was quoted as saying by the local media.

The official said Pakistan at present was co-operating with 48 countries to apprehend international terrorists.

He took serious note of speculative reports appearing in the Western media accusing ISI of trying to protect al-Qaida or supporting its activists. "Such reports are directed to create misperceptions against ISI."

The ISI official, however, declined to answer allegations by Pakistan's political parties that its officials took active part in manipulating majority for the ruling pro-military Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q).

He also declined to comment on allegations of kidnapping and torture of an Opposition legislator in the Punjab Assembly in Lahore a few days ago.

PTI