ISLAMABAD, 31 October 2006 — President Gen. Pervez Musharraf said yesterday that interfaith dialogue was crucial for peace and security in the world.
At a meeting with Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, who called on him in Islamabad yesterday Musharraf expressed the hope that the royal couple’s visit would strengthen ties between the two countries.
President Musharraf thanked Prince Charles for Britian’s help after the massive earthquake that hit Pakistan on Oct. 8, 2005. During the meeting Pakistan’s High Commissioner to UK Dr. Maleeha Lodhi and British High Commissioner to Pakistan Mark Lyall Grant were also present.
Prince Charles thanked Musharraf for Pakistan’s help in fighting terrorism.
“They (Prince Charles and Musharraf) discussed a number of subjects including counterextremism,” a British government official said on condition of anonymity after the meeting.
“The prince thanked Pakistan for its support for tackling terrorism and for supporting British troops fighting terrorism in the region,” the official added.
Pakistan helped Britain thwart an alleged plot to blow up airliners flying from London to the United States in August, arresting several suspects including a Briton.
Britain meanwhile has 5,200 troops in neighboring Afghanistan who are part of an international NATO force that is fighting militants from the Taleban movement.
NATO and Afghan officials have previously called on Pakistan to do more to stop militants crossing into Afghanistan from the tribal regions, although Pakistan says it has 80,000 troops on the border to stop infiltration.
Charles and Camilla are due to visit a madrasa in the northwestern city of Peshawar later in their trip as part of an emphasis on “interfaith harmony.”
Charles and Camilla are also scheduled to travel to the earthquake-affected zone and meet survivors there.
Camilla meanwhile held talks with Musharraf’s wife Sehba and the wives of other senior officials. She wore a cream silk tunic, matching trousers and a dupatta scarf.
The royal couple also met Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and discussed issues including a youth business scheme that will echo Charles’ Prince’s Trust initiative in the UK.
Officials said Charles did not discuss the controversial planned hanging of a British national with either Musharraf or Aziz. Charles had earlier written to Aziz about the case of condemned Mirza Tahir Hussain.
“This issue was not discussed. Neither did they want to talk about it nor did we want to talk about it,” Pakistani Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani told AFP.
Hussain’s case had overshadowed the lead-up to the trip.
His execution was at one point scheduled for Nov. 1, during the royal couple’s stay here. Pakistan delayed it by two months to Dec. 31 after the heir to the British throne wrote to Aziz about the case.
Hussain, 36, was cleared of the 1988 murder of a taxi driver by a high court in 1996 but then sentenced to death again by an Islamic court. He claims he acted in self-defense against a sexual assault.
Later in the week the royal couple is expected to visit the northwestern city of Peshawar where Charles would visit a college and a madrasa, and they are also scheduled to attend an “interfaith meeting” in Lahore.
Security is extremely tight for the trip with thousands of extra police deployed at sensitive sites. Britain’s Foreign Office advises that there is a “high threat” from terrorism throughout Pakistan.
The capital has been on alert since rockets were found near Musharraf’s residence in Islamabad and his army house in nearby Rawalpindi this month.
