KARACHI, Jan 12: General Secretary of the Tahrik-e-Insaf Pakistan (TIP), Mairaj Muhammad Khan, has welcomed President General Pervez Musharraf’s address to the nation and said that the President has taken “bold steps” to curb religious extremism in the country.

Talking to APP here on Saturday, in his reaction on the President’s speech on radio and television, Khan said that the country needed such steps because religious extremism had created a bad name for Islam and Pakistan.

“These religious parties had portrayed Islam as a religion of illiterates, so there was need to present Islam in its true spirit,” he remarked.

He said those parties had not only created sectarian hatred in the country, but many prominent personalities including some foreigners had been killed in sectarian terrorism.

He said the President had rightly stated that mosques and Madaris should be used for prayers and education purpose.

Mairaj Muhammad Khan said that Pakistan had adopted the right stand by refusing to handover any accused to India.

He said that the President had warned India against adventurism and in case it crossed the borders the Pakistan Army would teach it a lesson. “The whole nation will support this stand,” he added.

He said that Pakistan had clearly presented its stand to the world that the Kashmir problem should be solved through dialogue and according to the wishes of the people of Kashmir. He lauded the decision regarding regularization of mosques and Madaris.

Noted intellectual and former ambassador, Mehdi Masood, also hailed President General Pervez Musharraf’s address to the nation.

He said in his address the President had mentioned all the important challenges facing Pakistani society— extremism, intolerance, violence and internal disunity.

General Musharraf, he added, had shown the way towards a progressive, liberal and dynamic Pakistan by stresing unity, tolerance and liberal education.

TRADERS: Prominent leaders of the business community also appreciated the president’s speech.