ISLAMABAD, Jan 17: President Pervez Musharraf has accused some internal and external elements of conspiring to destabilise the country, but says the nation has the resilience to defeat all such elements.

“We can surmount all difficulties, [but] we need to have confidence in ourselves and faith in our abilities and we have to defeat such elements,” the president said at PTV’s weekly interactive programme ‘Aiwan-i-Sadr Sey’ on “Challenges confronting Pakistan and the way forward”, on Thursday.

He was commenting on incidents of lawlessness which followed the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

“I feel very saddened and angry” over the losses suffered by the country, he said. But, he added, he did not agree with those who were trying to portray that the country was in a grave danger.

“We are a 160 million strong nation that is a nuclear and missile power, with a strong army and a robust economy,” he said.

The president said the country currently faced three major challenges; terrorism and extremism, transition to democracy and need to sustain socio-economic growth.

He said a few ‘misguided lunatics’ were attempting to force their way of life on the majority, but they would not succeed.

“There is no place for Al Qaeda in Pakistan ... we cannot allow Al Qaeda to operate and commit acts of terrorism here or elsewhere, neither can we allow the Taliban here or any support to them. No militants can be allowed here.”

President Musharraf underlined the need for adopting a multi-pronged strategy; military, political and socio-economic to bring tribal areas at par with the rest of the country.

He said there was a need to check growing extremism in the society, continue the ban on militant organisations and the use of mosques by them.

He strongly rejected reports of any foreign intervention in Pakistan in the garb of operation against militants. “This is not possible ... till the time Pakistan Army is there. All security duties inside the country will be undertaken by the Pakistan Army. No one from outside can come into Pakistan.”

About transition to democracy, the president said “it is my guarantee that there will be a free, fair, transparent and peaceful election on Feb 18 ... I can say it with full sincerity.”

He said the bugs, if any, in the electioneering had been removed and added that Rangers and the army would be deployed to maintain the law and order, while the Election Commission would conduct the entire process.

“The winners and losers must show grace and should not [act in a manner to] bring bad name to the country.”

He said wheat was being sold in Islamabad for Rs17.75, Irri rice for Rs40, beef for Rs120 and mutton for Rs260 per kg while these items were selling in Dhaka for Rs24, Rs67, Rs150 and Rs300 and in New Delhi for Rs22, Rs34, Rs78 and Rs251, respectively.—APP