Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Pak president wants action against Taliban, al-Qaeda; denies N-tech transfer

IRNA

Islamabad, Dec 30, IRNA -- Pakistani President General Pervez 
Musharraf has vowed that his country must act against al-Qaeda and 
Taliban, reiterating Pakistan`s commitment to fighting extremism. 
Addressing newspaper editors Monday night, he said the vast 
majority of Pakistanis are moderate and there is no place for al-Qaeda
in the country. 
He asked the large moderate majority to shrug off apathy towards 
religious extremism and come forward with a pro-active role in 
stamping out this menace facing the society. 
He referred to the action against extremists in the tribal areas 
sometime back and said Pakistan will not allow any extremists to 
misuse its territory for activities against any other country. 
However, he regretted that a section of the press did not report 
factually on the actions against extremists in the tribal areas. 
He said Pakistan Army is the greatest organisation for the nation 
and the intelligence agency ISI is a great national institution that 
works in accordance with national interests. 
General Musharraf said Pakistan is safeguarding its national 
interests, asserting that nobody was asking the country to roll back 
its nuclear or missile programmes or compromise on Kashmir. 
He said that Pakistan is a declared nuclear power and has nuclear 
assets and a missile programme. 
Dismissing the impression about a "sell out" on Kashmir as 
"completely unfounded and regrettable", the president said "now we 
need to move forward towards a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir 
dispute." 
"Nobody is asking me to give up Kashmir," he said. 
He said Pakistan was not involved in "cross-border terrorism", 
adding Pakistan would not accept the Line of Control as a permanent 
border. 
He called Pakistanis moderate, not extremist, and dispelled the 
impression that extremists could acquire Pakistan`s nuclear technology
and that Pakistan had provided nuclear technology to Iran, North Korea
and Libya. 
"There is no pressure whatsoever on me to roll back the nuclear 
and missile programme, we are not rolling back, there is no question, 
these are our national interests and only a traitor will think of 
rolling back," he said. 
He said Pakistan is taking decisions on national and international
issues in its supreme national interests. "We have national interests,
we are devising our policies and executing them - but there is no 
pressure on me." 
Musharraf said that Pakistan is firmly committed to the policy of 
nuclear non-proliferation and said the government is investigating 
into allegations against some scientists. 
TK/TSH/210 
End