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Musharraf meets Corps Commanders

Nirupama Subramanian

ISLAMABAD: At a meeting with his Corps Commanders on Tuesday, President Pervez Musharraf reiterated his pledge to crush terrorism and militancy, and said the Government would not hesitate to take them on through military action, if necessary.

The 99th Corps Commanders' conference was held against the backdrop of the air strike on a madrassa in Bajaur in Pakistan's north-west tribal areas. The operation, in which the Government said only militants were killed, has fuelled a lot of resentment in the country, particularly among the religious right, and in the tribal areas and the North-West Frontier Province. There have been allegations, denied by the Government, that innocent students and children died in an operation carried out by the Americans or at their behest.

According to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations, General Musharraf said vested interests were trying to create "gross misperceptions" about the role of the security forces in combating militancy. The Government would not close the option of dialogue and political settlements in the tribal areas but would take action wherever militant activity was detected.

"Terrorism is a threat to our national security, which will be combated and crushed at all costs," he said.

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