“A Morning of Despair”: Pakistan’s Leaders Met at 6.30 am After Osama’s Killing, Reveals Zardari Aide
Image via The Indian Express
New Delhi, September 13, 2025 — A shocking new account has revealed what happened in Pakistan’s corridors of power on the morning after Osama bin Laden was killed in Abbottabad. According to Farhatullah Babar, senior aide and spokesperson to former President Asif Ali Zardari, top Pakistani leaders rushed into an emergency meeting at 6.30 am on May 2, 2011.
The meeting, held just hours after U.S. Navy SEALs killed the world’s most wanted terrorist, was filled with fear, shame, and deep confusion. Babar describes it as a moment of “national humiliation.”
The Historic Night
Osama bin Laden, the founder of Al-Qaeda and the mastermind of the September 11, 2001 attacks, had been hiding in a secure compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, only a short distance from the country’s top military academy.
In the early hours of May 2, 2011, U.S. Navy SEALs carried out Operation Neptune Spear. Within 40 minutes, they located and killed bin Laden. His body was later buried at sea.
For the world, it was a moment of closure. But for Pakistan, it was the beginning of a storm.
The fact that Osama was living inside Pakistan raised suspicions globally. Did Pakistan’s intelligence agencies know about his presence? Or were they completely unaware? Both options pointed to a failure — either complicity or incompetence.
The Emergency Meeting at Dawn
According to Babar’s newly released book The Zardari Presidency: Now It Must Be Told, panic struck Islamabad as news of the raid spread.
At 6.30 am, just hours after the operation, a meeting was held in the President’s office. Those present included:
- President Asif Ali Zardari
- Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar
- Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir
- Farhatullah Babar himself
The mood in the room was tense. Everyone knew that the country had been caught off guard. The world was already asking questions.
“Complicity or Incompetence”
During the meeting, Zardari asked his aide Babar for an immediate opinion.
Babar did not hesitate. He said the raid had exposed Pakistan in the worst way possible. It showed either complicity with terrorists or incompetence in failing to detect bin Laden’s presence. Both, he stressed, were equally damaging.
He strongly advised Zardari to order an immediate inquiry, especially into the roles of the Army and the ISI (Pakistan’s intelligence agency). Without such a step, Pakistan’s credibility, both at home and abroad, would collapse further.
Zardari’s Dilemma
Zardari listened carefully but faced a dilemma. On one hand, he wanted to protect Pakistan’s image. On the other, he was aware of the limits of civilian power against the military establishment.
According to the book, Zardari did agree that a commission should be set up. But he resisted taking strict punitive action against individuals. Instead, he believed the crisis should be used to reform procedures and improve coordination.
Babar also notes that at least one “important country” advised Zardari not to take harsh action against military or intelligence leaders. The book does not name this country, but the warning shows how global powers influenced Pakistan’s internal decisions.
A Delayed and Weak Response
While the U.S. announced Osama’s death immediately, Pakistan took 14 hours to issue an official statement.
When the statement finally came, it said that intelligence sharing between the U.S. and Pakistan had helped in the operation. But the world was not convinced. The response sounded hollow. Instead of saving face, it made Pakistan look confused and defensive.
Babar writes that this delay only deepened the “sense of national embarrassment.” It showed that Pakistan’s leaders were scrambling for words while the rest of the world already had answers.
Public Anger and Global Pressure
Within Pakistan, people were angry and divided. Many were ashamed that Osama was found inside the country. Others were furious that U.S. forces had entered Pakistani territory, carried out a secret operation, and left without being detected.
Globally, Pakistan faced intense criticism. Many countries accused it of providing safe haven to terrorists. International trust in Pakistan’s ability to fight terror was shaken.
The meeting at 6.30 am, as described by Babar, shows how unprepared Pakistan’s leaders were for this wave of backlash.
Why the Book Matters Now
Farhatullah Babar’s book is not just a memoir. It is a rare insider account of how Pakistan’s top leadership handled one of the most humiliating days in the country’s modern history.
By sharing details of the early morning meeting, the book highlights the gap between civilian leadership and the military establishment. It also shows how foreign influence shaped Pakistan’s choices in times of crisis.
More importantly, it raises questions that still have not been answered clearly:
- How could Osama bin Laden live in Abbottabad without being detected?
- Why did Pakistan’s response appear so slow and weak?
- Were reforms ever made in intelligence procedures as Zardari promised?
A Moment That Still Haunts Pakistan
Even today, more than a decade later, the Abbottabad raid remains a sore point in Pakistan’s history. For many citizens, it symbolizes a failure of leadership. For the world, it raised suspicions that have not gone away.
The image of top Pakistani leaders meeting in despair at 6.30 am, struggling for words and explanations, captures the depth of the crisis.
Babar’s account does not just describe one morning. It describes a turning point that revealed the fragility of Pakistan’s political system, the dominance of the military, and the pressure of international powers.
Conclusion
The killing of Osama bin Laden was a major moment in the fight against terror. But for Pakistan, it was also a moment of shame and confusion. The secret meeting at 6.30 am, revealed years later by Zardari’s aide, shows how unprepared and shaken the country’s leaders were.
It was a morning when Pakistan stood exposed before the world. A morning of despair, uncertainty, and unanswered questions — questions that still remain today.