04 June 2004	Friday	15 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

WASHINGTON, June 3: The United States has said that so far there is no evidence to suggest that Al Qaeda was involved in the recent violence in Karachi. "As far as who's behind it and Al Qaeda involvement, I don't think we really have any information like that," US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher told a briefing in Washington late Wednesday.

"There are local organizations and leaders that have been promoting the violence or the demonstrations," he added. The United States, he said, was concerned 'about the violence aspect' of the situation in Karachi but 'not the political aspect of that'.

Mr Boucher said the United States was 'deeply concerned' about 'pointless violence against religious communities' in Karachi, which was 'a direct attack on Pakistan's effort to promote religious moderation and tolerance'.

Asked to comment on President Pervez Musharraf's theory of 'enlightened moderation,' Mr Boucher said: "We agree with President Musharraf that extremism and militancy lead to violence and despair rather than hope and prosperity."

The Washington Post published President Musharraf's article on 'enlightened moderation' on Tuesday and on Wednesday the State Department distributed copies of that article among reporters. Discussing the situation in Karachi, Mr Boucher said the United States had already issued a warning to its citizens to defer travel to Pakistan and had asked those already there to be vigilant.