10 April 2005	Sunday	30 Safar 1426

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ISLAMABAD, April 9: President General Pervez Musharraf on Saturday said that there would be no military takeover in the country in future owing to various ‘corrective measures’ taken by the government.

During a question-answer session at a students’ convention, the president said that correction measures had been taken to avoid martial laws in future.

“We have introduced all the required checks and balances to ensure that the martial law is never imposed again in the country.”

He said martial laws were imposed by the late Gen Ayub Khan, Gen Yahya Khan and Gen Ziaul Haq. “But the question is why had they taken over and how can this be stopped now,” he said, adding that people should also keep in mind the circumstances in which martial laws had been imposed.

The president defended the role of the army for undertaking development activities in seven regions of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

He denied that the military had any role in politics and said the political government was running the affairs of the country.

Earlier in his speech at the convention organized by the Higher Education Commission, Gen Musharraf expressed the resolve that less developed regions in the country, especially Balochistan, would be paid more attention for their socio-economic development.

The president said he favoured more provincial autonomy and royalty for natural resources, adding that a part of royalty would be spent on the development of areas where oil, gas, etc., were being produced.

He said the government had endeavoured to provide jobs and reduce poverty. He pointed out that for the first time poverty was on the decline in the country. He said factories were running at their full potential and job opportunities were being created through investment in various sectors.

He said resolution of the Kashmir dispute was imperative, adding that he would raise the issue with the Indian leadership during his forthcoming visit to New Delhi.

“The resolution of the outstanding Kashmir issue is imperative to fully normalize relations between the two countries,” he asserted. President Musharraf plans to visit India on April 16 to watch a one-day cricket match between the two countries on the following day.

He said it would be good for both countries to resolve all outstanding issues through dialogue.

The president described the commencement of the Muzaffarabad-Srinagar bus service as an important confidence-building measure, but made it clear that it was not a substitute for Kashmir resolution. He said a vast majority of people on both sides of the Line of Control had supported the resumption of the bus service.

He emphasized the need for bringing tolerance to society, projecting moderation and curbing extremism and terrorism.

He said a majority of people in the country was moderate and only a fringe extremist. He said those who imposed their views on others were fanning hatred and intolerance and supporting terrorists and extremists.

Gen Musharraf expressed the resolve that the scourge of terrorism would be dealt with force while the issue of extremism would be handled with a prudent approach.

He said Islam was being misunderstood in the West due to the image problem and added that Muslims should prove that they did not approve of extremism and instead believed in moderation.

He said no law repugnant to Islam could be enacted in the country as the government fully believed in the teachings of Islam and Sunnah. Pakistan, he said, needed to be made a moderate and tolerant society as envisioned by the Quaid-i-Azam.

The president pointed out that the system of examination and curriculum would be improved as it had become outdated and added that real teachings of Islam would be incorporated in the curriculum. He said seminaries would be reformed so that they could impart modern education and the students could become a productive part of society.