LONDON, Nov 8: President General Pervez Musharraf on Thursday dismissed talk of any instability and said vast majority of Pakistanis supported his decision to back the international coalition in the fight against terrorism.

Addressing Pakistani community here soon after his arrival, General Musharraf said Pakistan had to play a significant role and “we should have conviction in our stand” to side with the world in its campaign against terrorism.

He said there was “no problem, no instability” at home or any danger to his government otherwise “I will not be sitting here.”

“Our Army is extremely disciplined Army. The Army is with me and they will always remain behind me. I am the leader and they will follow me,” said President General Pervez Musharraf.

The president said he had issued an ordinance to check spread of hatred against any sect and the law enforcement agencies would take strict action against those trying to do so. There is a very small religious extremist minority which had brought the people onto the streets and they were joined by Afghans living in Pakistan.

Referring to the performance of the religious parties in the recent local bodies elections, General Musharraf said they even did not enjoy support of two per cent of the people. The vast majority of people did not support them.

He urged the silent majority to throw its weight behind his government and strengthen the hands of the law enforcement agencies.

Pakistan, he said was a forward looking and a moderate Muslim country.

“We are the most powerful, moderate, progressive and dynamic Islamic country in the world” General Musharraf said amidst clapping.

He said world had changed on Sept. 11 and “we again were catapulted into a frontline state and we took a decision keeping in view our national interests.”

Strongly condemning the terrorists acts of Sept. 11 General Musharraf said there was no justification whatsoever to perpetrate such acts of terror. He expressed his deep sympathies to about 80 families who lost their dear ones in the terrorist attacks against the US on Sept. 11.

“We certainly stand as gainers. We are in the forefront of world diplomacy. Our world status has changed,” following the acts of terrorism against on Sept. 11.

Pakistan, he said, would reap many economic advantages though its exports would suffer because of the events of Sept. 11 .

“We have our strategic importance and nobody will sideline Pakistan in future,” said the president giving details of the support Pakistan had offered to the international coalition against terrorism. He said it had offered them intelligence, logistic support and very few bases for search and rescue operation. He categorically said the on-going targeted bombardment was being carried out from the US aircraft carriers and from its facilities in Central Asia. None of the operation was carried from Pakistan, he made it clear.

He regretted that the current campaign against terrorism was being projected by the media as a war against the suffering Afghan people but in reality, it was a campaign against terrorists. The reality was that the operation was targeted and was against the terrorists and their supporters.

President Musharraf said he was trying his best to convey to everyone that it would be better that the military objectives set by the allies were achieved before start of the holy month of Ramazan.

Answering a question, he said, he would take up the matter of stopping air strikes against Afghanistan with the American leadership.

Answering another question, President Musharraf called upon the overseas Pakistanis to transcend their political affiliations while living abroad. He urged them to make investment in Pakistan and help improve image of the country.

He called upon them to unite and work unitedly once they were out of the country. The President called upon the Pakistani expatriates to send their remittances through banks and not through “Hundi system”.

Answering another question, he assured the community that Pakistan was in touch with China regularly and he had been talking on telephone to the leadership of the Muslim countries.

The President said that three strategies were being pursued in Afghanistan. One was military operation, the other political and the third was the rehabilitation of Afghanistan.

On the political strategy, he said, that there ought to be a “home -grown” arrangement by the Afghans themselves to fill the vacuum created once the strategic objective of the coalition were achieved. Otherwise there will be anarchy in Afghanistan, he added.

On rehabilitation of Afghanistan, he said, humanitarian assistance was being sent in through the UNHCR and World Food Programme. However after the achievement of the strategic objectives, a massive rehabilitation effort would be needed and which should be planned now.

Gen. Musharraf said he had very candidly shared Pakistan’s concerns and experiences of the past with the international coalition. Pakistan was left alone after the Soviets withdrawal from Afghanistan but he was “reasonably sure now” that the coalition understand the reality.—APP