ISLAMABAD, April 1: Taking exception to President Pervez Musharraf's remarks against Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal's stance on the Wana operation, Jamat-i-Islami leadership has accused the government of carrying out what it said was a "failed" operation based on faulty intelligence leading to loss of precious human life.

In a lengthy rejoinder to President Musharraf's remarks broadcast on the state owned television against Qazi Husain Ahmed and Senator Prof Khurshid Ahmed, the latter launched a scathing counter-attack on the government for lacking the courage to face the facts and playing second fiddle to the US.

Questioning the government's achievements in the Wana operation, the senator said: "What has been achieved is the loss of 56 precious personnel of our own armed forces, over 60 other civilian deaths and hardly four to six deaths of alleged foreigners, along with the demolition of over 150 houses..."

"It is also clear that our own intelligence did not have any substantial lead in that direction. The total failure of the operation is a proof of this," said the senator.

Challenging President Musharraf's statement that only 150 people attended MMA's Rawalpindi rally against the Wana operation, Senator Khurshid said the same was described as an impressive demonstration of tens of thousands of people by the international media and the BBC.

"It is a shame that none of those present in the Army House gathering had the courage to point to him what facts he is talking about," he said. Accusing the government of playing second fiddle to the US, Senator Khurshid said it was not irrelevant that over half a dozen US military and political personalities visited Islamabad immediately before or during the ill-fated operation.

"The general has tried to eye-wash the US role as 'secondary' or a 'by-product,' but the fact is that Pakistan did not have any direct threat in this region and we are turning our friends into 'suspects' and even foes," said Senator Khurshid.

Reiterating the demand for an independent parliamentary inquiry on bi-partisan basis to bring out the real facts before the nation, Senator Khurshid said the following six issues needed to be examined:

"Reliability of information and the sources of intelligence responsible for the fiasco; neglect of the political process and traditional time-tested mechanisms for resolution of such issues; lack of preparation and proper planning particularly absence of a well thought out strategy, both for target achievement and exit outlets; timing and justification for the use of force including reported use of F-16's, helicopter gunships and artillery; who was responsible for the bogey of the mysterious "high-value targets," its evaporation, and then the myth of 'Al Qaeda spy chief" and retraction from that claim?

"What about responsibility of those responsible for this hype and consequent credibility loss?; lessons for the future from this tragic episode of blunders, man-slaughters, mis-planning, mismanagement and spoiling the image of Pakistan Army."