Troops pullout, if militants leave tribal area: President
DM Monitoring/Agencies

ISLAMABAD—President General Pervez Musharraf on Thursday said that army can be withdrawn from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) if there is an assurance that all foreign terrorists would leave the area and there is complete end to militancy. Speaking at the fourth programme of series “Aiwan-e-Sadr Say” on a state run TV, he said only a political solution and not militancy will help create conditions for the foreign troops to leave Afghanistan. He said all Taliban are not militants but some are involved in terrorism.
The President vowed that Pakistan would not be allowed to become a soft state where foreign terrorists could seek safe haven. The country must be got rid of Al-Qaeda and militant Taliban for its continued progress, he added. The President said a holistic strategy is being pursued to counter extremism and combat terrorism. He said there are some misguided elements opposing the government’s policy to make Pakistan a secure and prosperous country.
He expressed his complete solidarity with bereaved families of killed people, in two suicide attacks that rocked Rawalpindi, and promised to compensate them in every possible way, vowing his resolve to counter anti-state elements with an iron hand. He imparted that Pakistan played the role of front state in Afghan war of, 1979, after which a freedom movement was started in Kashmir., participated by several Jihadi groups. This situation cast adverse effect on Pakistan. In the Post 9/11 scenario a war materialized between Taliban and US-led forces of NATO, which brought certain changes in our society.
The head of state told that the suicide attacks emanated from Srilanka, India and Palestine. ‘These suiciders are our brothers and sisters but they have been misdirected, since they are illiterate people. It is the responsibilities of Ulema and educated people to steer their approach. Government has successfully contained the sectarianism in the country. Extremism is giving the birth of Terrorism” he deliberated.
“We have chalked out a strategy to curtail extremism. Media has an important role to play in this strategy. And, national consensus should be developed on all vital national problems”, he stated. President General Pervez Musharraf said that suicide bombers are totally unaware about the true spirit of Islam because Islam does not give us the permission to shed the blood of innocent people. Islam gives us the lesson of brotherhood and as a Muslim it is the responsibility of all of us to highlight the real aspects of Islam so that Muslim could prosperous.
He said that he would hold talks consultations with Ulema and Mashaikh-e-Karam throughout Pakistan in this connection. He said that “Before 1999 there were armed conflicts among Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Sipah-e-Sahba, Tehrik-e-Jafariya and other religious parties. But the present government has banned all these organizations in order to end sectarianism”.
He further said that he himself always supported the Madrassas at every international forum and informed them that they performing the best role of Islamic NGOs, as thousands of needy and helpless students obtained education from these Madrassahs besides food, clothes and other facilities, which are the best services of humanity, he added.
While talking about the Lal Mosque Operation he said termed it successful both from military and political viewpoint.