International   

Taliban must be defeated: Blair, Musharraf

Nirupama Subramanian

ISLAMABAD: British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Sunday held up President Pervez Musharraf as an example of enlightened leadership for the entire Muslim world, announced his Government was doubling aid to Pakistan and said the "war on terror" would continue as long as the forces of extremism were not defeated.

Both he and Gen. Musharraf said at a joint press conference in Lahore there could no compromise with the Taliban in the war against extremism, or an acceptance of the "Taliban culture" which was "obscurantist", "reactionary" and anti-democracy.

Mr. Blair arrived late on Saturday on a visit, after which he is expected to travel to Afghanistan. He and Gen. Musharraf on Sunday discussed the situation of Pakistan, and regional issues including Afghanistan and Pakistan's relations with India.

Addressing the press shortly after their meeting, the two leaders said the war in Afghanistan would continue until the Taliban was defeated, with Gen. Musharraf stressing it could not be won by military means alone, but had to incorporate a "broader strategy" with a "political element and a reconstruction and development element".

Gen. Musharraf has in the past urged Afghanistan to make a political settlement that would make way for greater Pashtun representation in the Kabul government, and emphasised the importance of developing south-eastern Afghanistan.

He again rejected the idea that Pakistan was not doing enough in the "war on terror."

Strategic interest

"The solution lies in what you do in Afghanistan, not what you do in Pakistan. We have to certainly take action here against elements, which are supporting whatever is happening in the south-eastern region of Afghanistan. And let me assure you, we are doing much more than our capacity. We have suffered about 600 dead... We are doing maximum," he said. Mr. Blair said there was "tremendous co-operation" with Pakistan, and while there was always scope for improving this co-operation, "Pakistan has the same strategic interest that we all do, which is an Afghanistan that is stable, and shares the values of looking outward to the world rather than to becoming the prey once again of the Al-Qaeda through the Taliban."

The U.K. would assist the reforms by more than doubling development aid from $236 million to $480 million, Mr. Blair said.

The financial package is to be used by Pakistan to strengthen its state primary and secondary school system so that more children attend these rather than madrassas, which are widely believed to be the seed-beds of radical Islam.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Taliban must be defeated: Blair, Musharraf
Bush, Hu pledge to strengthen relations
Rajapaksa urged to rush relief to Vaharai
APEC backs curbs on N. Korea
Spy poison plot
Russia, U.S. sign WTO deal
Law targets Americans
Flap over "gay penguins"
Musharraf praised for improved ties with India

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu