TORONTO, April 4: Claiming that Pakistan is moving forward on the economic front, former President Farooq Ahmed Leghari says a lot more is to be done to eradicate poverty and illiteracy in the country.

Poverty is increasing at an alarming rate and dynamic steps are urgently needed to generate income and employment, he said while addressing members of the Canada chapter of his Millat Party here on Saturday. He pointed out that less than two per cent of the GDP is spent on education, which is insufficient and inadequate.

It must be raised to at least five per cent, he added. The former president, a coalition partner of Prime Minister Zafarulah Jamali, defended the military operation in Wana which he said aimed at clearing the area of terrorists and hardliners.

He said the troops were sent to South Waziristan only after the tribal chiefs refused to cooperate with the government which wanted to disarm the militants.

Mr Leghari, who is currently on a private visit to Canada, conceded that the operation had been launched without a well-planned strategy which resulted in some casualties. However, he said that the military operation was the need of the hour.

It was necessary because Pakistan could not have put the country's integrity at risk, he said. He also welcomed the resumption of talks between India and Pakistan and hoped that more meaningful dialogues will ultimately help resolve the Kashmir dispute, which he called a core issue between the two nuclear states. He said that the leadership in India has now fully realized that Kashmir issue can not be resolved through wars.

It has to be resolved through peaceful dialogues although it will take some time to reach an agreement. Later answering newsmen's questions, he said that President Musharraf would give up his military uniform before the end of the year. I don't find any reason that he would not fulfil his promise.

Look at Gen Zia ul-Haq. He promised to hold election in 90 days and delayed the polls for nearly 10 years. But Musharraf honoured his election promise, he explained. Earlier, President of Millat Party-Canada, Kamran Khan welcomed Farooq Leghari and said that his party chief has played a positive role in Pakistani politics.