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India should avoid fence construction along LoC: Musharraf
Islamabad, Dec 12: Asserting that Pakistan would follow a policy of deterrence to defend itself against any aggression from India, President Pervez Musharraf today said New Delhi should avoid construction of fence along LoC in view of prevailing ceasefire and other confidence building measures between the two countries.
Islamabad, Dec 12: Asserting that Pakistan would follow a policy of deterrence to defend itself against any aggression from India, President Pervez Musharraf today said New Delhi should avoid construction of fence along LoC in view of prevailing ceasefire and other confidence building measures between the two countries.
Speaking to media after inducting into the Navy Pakistan's first locally-built Agosta class submarine at the southern port of Karachi, Musharraf also said the country faced no external threat but only a danger from extremists and sectarian elements from within, and called for waging a concerted fight against religious extremists.
"With the presence of Pakistan's armed forces, there is no external threat to the country. However, we face danger from within."
Musharraf said Pakistan's policy of building a military deterrence against India was well founded and a credible deterrence would be maintained in the field of defence.
"This strategy is defensive and that we have no design to go offensive and attack an enemy. But if we are attacked we will defend and in that defence we are going to be very very offensive. We won't be merely defensive, we are going to be offensive in defending ourselves. That is the strategy," he was quoted as saying by the official media here.
Replying to a question on India building fencing along the LoC, he said the status of the Line of Control should not be changed at all by India.
Anything that changes the status of the LoC should be avoided, especially in the interest of prevailing ceasefire and attempts by the two countries to build a rapprochement to resolve all disputes, Musharraf said.
He said Pakistan had already lodged a protest with India on the issue of fencing.
About Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's visit to Islamabad to attend the Saarc summit to be held here next month, Musharraf said he was hopeful that Vajpayee would come but he could be sure about it only when the Indian premier lands in the Pakistan capital.
Musharraf also spoke of anti-tank missiles and surface-to-air missiles and said these are the main strength of Pakistan Army and they were being further enhanced.
On the airforce front, Pakistan would induct the new plane JF-17 thunder which was built jointly with China. "The thunder is an excellent jet," he said.
Asked about the talks between the government and the Islamic alliance Muthahida Majlis Amal (MMA) to end the political deadlock over his constitutional amendments, he said one should "wait and see" whether an agreement was reached.
Yesterday, Musharraf said in Quetta that he was not cowed down by MMA's threat to organise street protests from December 18 if no agreement was reached.
Challenging the MMA to go ahead and show its strength, he said the alliance cannot do anything that caused any concern and asked it to stop issuing threats.
MMA said it would go ahead and launch an agitation against Musharraf despite death of its chairman Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani yesterday. Bureau Report
"With the presence of Pakistan's armed forces, there is no external threat to the country. However, we face danger from within."
Musharraf said Pakistan's policy of building a military deterrence against India was well founded and a credible deterrence would be maintained in the field of defence.
"This strategy is defensive and that we have no design to go offensive and attack an enemy. But if we are attacked we will defend and in that defence we are going to be very very offensive. We won't be merely defensive, we are going to be offensive in defending ourselves. That is the strategy," he was quoted as saying by the official media here.
Replying to a question on India building fencing along the LoC, he said the status of the Line of Control should not be changed at all by India.
Anything that changes the status of the LoC should be avoided, especially in the interest of prevailing ceasefire and attempts by the two countries to build a rapprochement to resolve all disputes, Musharraf said.
He said Pakistan had already lodged a protest with India on the issue of fencing.
About Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's visit to Islamabad to attend the Saarc summit to be held here next month, Musharraf said he was hopeful that Vajpayee would come but he could be sure about it only when the Indian premier lands in the Pakistan capital.
Musharraf also spoke of anti-tank missiles and surface-to-air missiles and said these are the main strength of Pakistan Army and they were being further enhanced.
On the airforce front, Pakistan would induct the new plane JF-17 thunder which was built jointly with China. "The thunder is an excellent jet," he said.
Asked about the talks between the government and the Islamic alliance Muthahida Majlis Amal (MMA) to end the political deadlock over his constitutional amendments, he said one should "wait and see" whether an agreement was reached.
Yesterday, Musharraf said in Quetta that he was not cowed down by MMA's threat to organise street protests from December 18 if no agreement was reached.
Challenging the MMA to go ahead and show its strength, he said the alliance cannot do anything that caused any concern and asked it to stop issuing threats.
MMA said it would go ahead and launch an agitation against Musharraf despite death of its chairman Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani yesterday. Bureau Report