ISLAMABAD, 12 October 2006 — President Gen. Pervez Musharraf said here yesterday that the future of Pakistan would be at stake if moderates do not defeat extremists in the coming polls. Musharraf was speaking at an iftar party he hosted for journalists at the presidential house.
He said, “I will appeal to all those who believe in the promotion of education, science and social development to reject extremists and obscurantist ideologies.” He said he hoped moderates would play an important role in the 2007 elections and added that the majority of Pakistanis supported his moderate and progressive policies.
Musharraf said the media should play a very important role in changing the perception of Pakistan and Islam in the West. “Unfortunately the image of Islam is being distorted,” he said, adding, “It’s the media’s primary role to bring about a change in its approach while projecting Islamic values.
We must eradicate extremists and terrorists from our society,” the president said. “They have tarnished the image of Islam and Pakistan in the West,” he added.
Touching on other subjects, Musharraf said, “Al-Qaeda does not exist in Pakistan but we have to arrest the process of Talebanization which is gaining strong roots in Afghanistan.” He said Islamabad had warned the Afghan government of this growing phenomenon.
The president said NATO Commander Gen. David Richards had visited Islamabad not to exchange accusations but to forge closer strategy to deal with the menace of Talebanization. “It’s a state of mind. It needs to be addressed carefully,” he said. “Talebanization can affect Pakistani society.” He said if the extremists won the elections, the Pakistan envisioned by Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah would cease to exist. Musharraf said, “We are facing many allegations. This is one of the reasons why we call for change of perception about ourselves. We have to tell the world that we are not an extremist or fundamentalist state.”
The president said the elections would be held on schedule. “They will be free, fair and transparent. Everybody will be allowed to contest except two individuals,” he said referring to two former prime ministers — Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif. He said he would take stern action against those challenging the government’s writ in Balochistan.
Referring to his book he said, “I have not disclosed any national secret. I sought permission from the attorney general of Pakistan before articulating the realities in the book.”
