ISLAMABAD, 4 August 2007 — President Pervez Musharraf made a fresh pledge yesterday to eradicate extremism from the country, as the latest incident in a wave of militant violence left four rebels dead.
Musharraf made the vow at a meeting of chiefs in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, a statement said. “Extremism and militancy are the biggest threat to security of our country and no effort shall be spared to eradicate this menace and ensure sustainability of economic progress,” the statement quoted Musharraf as saying.
Yesterday, a bomb exploded near an army convoy coming from the northwestern town of Bannu to the tribal district of North Waziristan, where pro-Taleban militants tore up a peace deal with the government on July 15, officials said.
“After the IED (improvised explosive device) exploded, which caused no damage to the security forces convoy, militants also resorted to firing. In the ensuing clash four militants were killed,” an army statement said. Earlier rebels fired three rockets at a major army base in Miranshah, the main town in North Waziristan. Troops responded to the rocket attack with heavy weapons fire. Again, there were no immediate reports of casualties.
Thousands of tribesmen rallied in North Waziristan yesterday calling on the government to withdraw troops from the restive region. Holding black flags and wearing black armbands, the protesters chanted “Down with America” and demanded the government stop what they called unnecessary military operations in the region bordering Afghanistan. “The government says it has sent troops to Waziristan to maintain peace and order but in fact the peace of the region has deteriorated since the army was deployed here,” Qari Mohammad Roman, an imam of a major mosque of Miranshah, North Waziristan’s main town, told protesters.
“Military operations are being conducted here to appease America. We are not scared of America. We are ready to confront it.”
Some US officials and politicians have even suggested there could be American strikes against militant targets in Pakistan. Administration officials say Washington is prepared to act on its own, but only if the intelligence is certain.
Tancredo’s Statement Criticized
The National Assembly yesterday strongly condemned the statement of US Republican presidential hopeful and Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo who said the best way he could think of to deter a nuclear terrorist attack on the US is to threaten to retaliate — by bombing Islamic holy sites.
When the lower house of Parliament began its session yesterday, members from the Treasury and Opposition benches asked the speaker to suspend routine business and discuss the statement by the US Congressman.
Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Sher Afgan Niazi tabled a motion to discuss Tom Tancredo’s statement. Some members from the religious alliance, Muttaheda Majlis-e-Amal, demanded Islamabad change its policy toward US.
The house unanimously adopted the motion and Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain fixed next Monday for a debate.
