ISLAMABAD: President Pervez Musharraf said on Thursday that "foreign interference" from Afghanistan against Pakistan must stop.

The remark, naming no country in particular, came in a wide-ranging address to the nation that covered the Mumbai blasts, the situation in Lebanon, Pakistan's role in the war on terror in Afghanistan, and the country's internal situation, including Balochistan.

President Musharraf said Pakistan was affected by the activities of the Taliban in Kadahar region in southern Afghanistan, and asked Kabul to stop making allegations that Pakistan was helping them.

He said Pakistan could respond with its own allegations but would desist. "Pakistan and Afghanistan must stand united to fight terrorism but I will say that foreign interference in Pakistan from Afghanistan must stop," he said.

Pakistan earlier said India was using Afghanistan as a staging post to foment unrest in its Balochistan province.

He said Pakistan had "broken the back of the Al-Qaeda", and was now engaged in military operations against the Taliban. Admitting that they were present in the tribal areas of the north-west Pakistan, he said they also made forays across the border to fight in Afghanistan.

He said the countries must not blame one another: "As I said about India, to start blaming each other when you are partners in a coalition is the first sign of defeat and weakness."

He talked at length about the intolerance and extremism that the presence of the Taliban was creating in the north-west regions of Pakistan, and urged Pakistanis to follow the path of enlightened moderation.

He said this was the only way to battle extremism. Otherwise "extremism will eat up this country like white ants," he said.

Lebanon conflict

He urged the international community to bring about an immediate ceasefire and start negotiations to end the escalating Israel-Lebanon conflict and said a lasting solution to the crisis in West Asia would come only with the resolution of the Palestine issue.

President Musharraf expressed the fear that if the Israeli attacks in Lebanon continued, and other countries such as Syria and Iran got involved, the entire region, including Pakistan, would be affected.

The Pakistan President said the country had to prepare for such an eventuality by remaining "united".

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