Islamabad Oct 07: Pledging to continue the crackdown against extremists in Pakistan, President Pervez Musharraf has expressed concern at the mounting sectarian violence in the country. "We have cracked down on the extremist elements that were trying to create an element of insecurity. Let me assure this gathering that we will carry on cracking down on any extremism here in Pakistan,” Musharraf said during his tour of south west Baluchistan yesterday.

Musharraf said that Pakistan's security agencies are very vigilant and proactive since 9/11 and promised special protection for foreigners.
At a separate meeting at Quetta, he said sectarian violence could hamper Pakistan's stability and progress and asked religious leaders to teach lessons of peace and harmony in madrassas and refrain from preaching "narrow-minded" concepts.

"It is wrong to declare someone a non-Muslim. We must teach students about peace and harmony in seminaries," he said while referring to differences between Sunnis and Shias.

Referring to the recent arrests of Indonesian students in Karachi for alleged links with al-Qaeda, he said it was "astonishing" to know that the mastermind of the Indonesian bomb blast had been studying in Pakistan and warned there may be others like him.
Bureau Report