NEW YORK, Nov 8: The Chairman of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Afrasiab Khattak, on Wednesday said “in all this talk of anti-terror coalition General Pervez Musharraf must also hear that democracy is indispensable even after Sept 11.”

speaking at a star studded gala dinner given by Human Rights Watch to honour the human rights monitors at Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Mr Khattak asserted “there is no alternative to the peoples right to govern themselves.”

Observing that “terrorism is a common enemy, poverty injustice and the deprivation of rights breed terrorism,” Khattak said and added “in the long run only the establishment of a democratic system can prevent the spread of extremism. “

He pointed out that “with the Afghan war next door,” Pakistan is facing a new polarization in the society between moderates on one side and armed extremists on the other.”

Underscoring that Pakistan stands at a historic cross road to become a theocracy or a democracy, he said “it is creating new threats to the civil society, from elements that want to impose their rigid doctrines on society by barrel of gun .”

However, he told the audience “please have confidence in the people of Pakistan. When given the chance, they have never voted for fundamentalists. They have time and again demonstrated their commitment to the ideal of a forward looking enlightened society.”

Five human rights monitors were honoured at the dinner on Wednesday which included Ismail Adyiou from Uzbekistan, Haruun Ruun from Sudan, Rosa Isabel from Guatemala, Abdul Rehman Yacob from Indonesia and Mr. Afrasiab Khattak from Pakistan.