Addressing a traders' gathering at a local hotel on Friday, he said that army would not leave him alone. He said that he would rather like to see the incumbents complete their legal and constitutional tenure. He also stressed on eschewing the political vendettas, which were unfortunately quiet rampant and would yield no positive results. He clarified that had he wanted to resign, he would have done so four months ago, but he felt that he had still a role to play, which he would continue to play.

He said the nation is facing major political, economic, and extremist crises. He stressed on stemming the rising tide of extremism in the country, which would be detrimental, and said that the mandate of masses rendered in elections of February 18 was a mandate against extremism.

While informing about the recent economic turmoil, he attributed it to the raising pricing of petroleum along with wheat, in the global market.

President Pervez Musharraf on Friday made it clear that no one can caste an evil eye on the role of Pakistan in the war against terrorism, urging that Pakistan is playing a pivotal role in this regard and reiterated the country's firm resolve to fight terrorism and extremism.

Talking to a delegation of the US congressmen in President's Camp Office, the president underlined that only Pakistan troops can operate inside Pakistan. The delegation was led by Gene Green (Democrat-Texas), and included Mike McCaul (Republican-Texas) and Henry Cuellar (Democrat-Texas).

The president informed the delegation that only Pakistani troops could take action against the terrorists on Pakistani side of the shared frontier with Afghanistan, stressing the foreign forces would not be allowed to operate inside Pakistani borders.

He further said, "We need ample time to get rid of the menace of terrorism and extremism," urging the need for people to change their attitude and thinking in this regard.

"Not only force is required but also we have to eliminate the basic reasons behind it," he held. In this regard, he also underscored the importance of a comprehensive, multi-pronged counter-terrorism strategy.

The president also insisted on the need to further strengthen the Pak-US strategic cooperation. He appreciated the congressional support for Pakistan's counter-terrorism initiatives, such as the establishment of Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZs), FATA Development Plan and FC capacity building.

He also underlined the need for greater market access for Pakistani products in the US.

The US delegation lauded the prudent policies of President Musharraf regarding the gigantic efforts for peace in the region.

The congressmen conveyed their support for a strong and broader relationship with Pakistan. They appreciated Pakistan's commitment to fighting terrorism and extremism while reaffirming their support for Pakistan's social development goals.


Agencies