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Musharraf rules out Islamist takeover of Pakistan

Paris: In what was evidently a public relations exercise intended to diffuse the criticism levelled at him over the past several months, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, on the second leg of his European tour, described himself as practising “enlightened moderation” and pleaded for “patience and strategic understanding” from the West.

In a long speech at the French International Relations Institute that left little time for questions, General (Retd.) Musharraf said Pakistan had to change the extremist mindset in order to curb extremism. “Extremism spawns terrorism and we are addressing the root causes of extremism — illiteracy and poverty. But it is not a quick fix and needs patience and understanding,” he said.

He dismissed fears that his nuclear-armed country could slip into Al-Qaeda’s hands, saying there was a “zero per cent chance” of a takeover by Islamist extremists, insisting it was impossible for militants to gain access to Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal. The only way that could happen was if Al-Qaeda or the Taliban “defeated the Pakistani army entirely” or if extremist religious groups won next month’s elections. “There is a zero per cent chance of either,” Gen. Musharraf said. “The weapons cannot fall into any wrong hands.”

Regarding Indo-Pakistan relations, he once again described Kashmiris as “freedom fighters” but said Pakistan had “gone beyond coercion.” The route to peace lay through rapprochement “and that is the road we have taken,” he said.

He once again accused Baitullah Mehsud, the tribal leader in South Waziristan, of being a terrorist “facilitator” who was responsible for several terrorist attacks and suicide killings.

Gen. Musharraf was expected to hold talks with French President Sarkozy later in the day. France takes over the six-month presidency of the European Union in July.

Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner earlier this month became the first high-ranking foreign official to visit Pakistan after Benazir’s assassination, offering French and European help in investigating her killing, but he was unable to visit Benazir’s grave or meet her family.

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