NOWSHERA: President Gen Pervez Musharraf appealed to the people of the North West Frontier Province on Wednesday not to vote for extremists in the upcoming local council elections, saying moderate elements should be voted in to strengthen democracy in Pakistan.
“I ask you please don’t vote for extremist elements. Please vote for moderates during the local government polls,” President Musharraf asked the Pashtoons while addressing a public meeting organised by the Pakistan People’s Party-Sherpao at the Army’s Polo Ground.
Attired in shalwar-kameez, Musharraf urged the Frontier people, particularly the Pashtoons, to stand up against terrorists and extremists. “Fact of the matter is that some people are promoting terrorism and extremism in the country, but I hope the brave Pashtoons will stop such people from carrying out their agenda,” the president said amidst pro-Musharraf slogans.
Musharraf said Pakistan would help Afghanistan organise parliamentary polls again this year as it had done in the presidential elections. “Afghanistan has a direct effect on Pashtoon-dominated areas in Pakistan and I strongly advocate that the Pashtoons must be given their rights both in Afghanistan and Pakistan,” he added.
Musharraf vented anger at extreme right-wing political leaders opposing the recent military operation against “terrorists” in the South Waziristan tribal region. “I know the Pashtoons are very warm to their guests but these guests (terrorists) should not take undue advantage of your hospitality,” he emphasised. “Where in the world can one stay without permission of that respective country? Masterminds of all terrorist activities in Pakistan had logistic bases in Waziristan and whatever terrorist activities take place in any part of the world has a link to Pakistan. What I am telling you is based on interrogation and this is true,” President Musharraf told around 20,000 PPP-Sherpao and Pakistan Muslim League activists.
Justifying the military action in Waziristan, Musharraf said it (Waziristan) proved a centre for terrorists. “Was our action against those who masterminded terrorism and Chinese engineers’ kidnapping good or bad, I ask you,” he said, adding that terrorism and extremism would take Pakistan 200 years back. “Our vision should be to promote moderates and enlightened moderation,” he said.
The president said that a movement should be launched against people who were using Islam for vested interests and presenting bad image of Islam to the international community. “We should not allow people to misuse mosques.” |
