ISLAMABAD, Nov 13: President Gen Pervez Musharraf has said Pakistan will appeal to international community and donor agencies for $ five billion relief assistance at the donors conference for reconstruction and rehabilitation of quake-affected people.

“We need five billion dollars for rehabilitation and reconstruction of quake-devastated areas. I will appeal to our friends and donor institutions on this count at donors conference taking place on Nov 19,” he said in an interview with CNN on Sunday.

The president said that the international community and donor institutions had played a vital role in helping quake survivors in Pakistan. “We are convinced to it. We want that world community and donor agencies join us in our efforts for rehabilitation and rebuilding of quake-devastated areas at this difficult time,” he held.

He noted that there was no discrepancy in reports on estimates of losses. The estimates worked out by national and international institutions on rehabilitation and reconstruction are approximately equal and these have been agreed upon.

About the relief work being carried out by jihadi outfits, President Musharraf said their work was being closely watched. They are engaged in relief activities in quake-hit areas. They will not be allowed to foment extremism and spread their ideas.

Replying to a question in the context of the recent Amman bombings, he ruled out any possibility of the regrouping of extremist elements in Pakistan. All apprehensions in this regard were baseless, he added. The armed forces and security agencies had carried out successful operations in the tribal areas of the country, he said. They have killed several foreign militants and captured dozens of them there.

Pakistan has spearheaded the campaign against terrorism. The Pakistan army was deployed on Pakistan-Afghan borders, he said. Therefore, the apprehensions about any regrouping of extremists in the territory of Pakistan were not correct, he asserted.

Answering a question about attempts on his life, the president said:”I feel myself safe and secure today as compared to yesterday.”

The performance of Pakistan intelligence agencies is commendable, he observed. “We succeeded in eliminating extremist networks in Pakistan due to efforts of our intelligence agencies.” Extremists have not enough power to take over government.

He noted that Pakistan had initiated the war against terrorism in its own interest. No extremist could dictate “terms to us”. “We are heading towards a strategic direction. We have chosen this in the best interest of nation and country. We will continue to go ahead in this direction,” he said.

DR QADEER: President Musharraf defended his decision to bar foreign authorities from interrogating the founder of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons programme, nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan.

“Indeed, I did not allow any foreign organization, any foreigner to directly contact Dr A.Q. Khan. We are doing it ourselves, and we are capable of doing it,” he said.

He said Dr Khan’s case was “sensitive” due to his popularity in Pakistan, where he is regarded as the father of the country’s nuclear bomb.

“I think the sensitivity of ours is quite clearly understood,” he said. “This man has been a hero to the man in the street, and therefore, we have to tread in some sensitive areas.”

The president said Pakistan was able to interrogate Dr Khan without the assistance of the International Atomic Energy Agency or other world organizations.

“Why is it that we are not being trusted for our capability in interrogating him? Why is it that we are not being trusted that we are sharing all the intelligence and information that we get out of him?” he said.

“Now, if there is a new piece of information that is acquired by anyone, if that is passed onto us, we will again interrogate, and we have full capability of interrogation, and we will again share the information which we have with anyone,” he said.

“We are very sincere in sharing all that we acquire in the form of interrogation from him,” Gen Musharraf added.

—Agencies