ISLAMABAD, Oct 11: Former ISI chief and head of Tehrik Ittehad-i- Pakistan Hameed Gul has said he is doubtful about an imminent ground attack on Afghanistan.

Talking to Dawn on Thursday, he said:”In my opinion, the objective of US is to acquire some very important bases in Pakistan, including Pasni, Gwadar and Jackobabad, to maintain its presence in the region”.

Commenting on OIC foreign ministers’conference in Doha, Gul said its outcome was extremely discouraging, adding that it would have been better if it was not held at all.”The conference, instead of taking a unified stand against attacks on a brother Muslim country, had endorsed the action of the US and its allies, which was unfortunate, to say the least,” he asserted.

The allied forces, Gul said, had so far destroyed three, out of six most important airstrips, including those at Kandahar, Kabul and Shindand, sparing the remaining three which they, perhaps, wanted to use themselves.