WASHINGTON, Oct 3 Pakistan and the United States were closing in on Osama bin Laden about five years ago, but suddenly lost him, says former president Pervez Musharraf.

“It was some five years back when there was some intelligence that got picked up of a broad location,” Mr Musharraf told a near-capacity crowd at a college in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. “Then suddenly, we lost track.”

The former president described this as a failure of Pakistani and US intelligence and said that now they did not know whether Osama was dead or alive.

Mr Musharraf, 66, conceded that he committed several blunders in the years leading up to Sept 11, but he also took credit for several accomplishments, including improving the nation's economy and introducing “an essence of democracy” to Pakistan.

“This gives me pride to say, that although I was a military man -- a man in uniform -- I did believe in real essence of democracy,” he said. “I take pride in declaring that I introduced the essence of democracy in Pakistan.”

He did this, he said, by empowering citizens. Women, he said, gained political power and were given more seats in the local and national levels of government -- a comment that drew a standing ovation from the crowd.

Mr Musharraf is currently in the United States on a lecture tour.

On Tuesday, Mr Musharraf was invited to Capitol Hill to share with both Republican and Democrat lawmakers his thoughts on the current situation in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region and the way forward.

“Mr Musharraf provided his personal and candid insights on Afghanistan and Pakistan and shared his perspective for strategies to stabilise the region,” said Congressman Steve Buyer after the meeting. “President Musharraf's thoughts will be very helpful to us as Congress works with the administration in crafting a successful way forward in Afghanistan.”

The congressional meeting came on the eve of the crucial “situation room” meeting of the US President Barack Obama with his top policy advisers on Afghanistan and Pakistan.

As the administration continues to consider a new strategy in Afghanistan, which could include an increase in US troops, hearing “Mr Musharraf's insight will help us make the necessary decisions to support a successful strategy with the ultimate goal of finding sustained peace and stability in the region,” Congressman Buyer said.

Talking to Pakistani journalists during his Washington visit, Mr Musharraf said he would defend himself in Pakistani courts and his lawyers were reviewing the detailed verdict of the Supreme Court regarding his imposition of emergency rule on November 3, 2007.

The former president said he was ready to face all charges levelled against him in courts, as he commented on the Supreme Court terming his November 3, 2007 actions unconstitutional and unpardonable.

Also, former Pakistan Cricket Board chairman and close Musharraf confidant Dr Nasim Ashraf told reporters that Mr Musharraf had decided to defend himself if a case was registered against him.

Mr Ashraf said President Asif Ali Zardari had not met Mr Musharraf, either in New York or Washington.