ISLAMABAD, July 1: President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Thursday vowed to stamp out extremism and terrorism and make all-out efforts for the maintenance of law and order for continued socio-economic progress of Pakistan.

At a high-level meeting held here to review law and order, they stressed that the government would make all necessary efforts to ensure peace and security and would not let anyone hinder Pakistan's march on the path of development.

President Musharraf said that sustained economic growth, political harmony and maintenance of law and order were essential elements for the country's continuous development.

"We have to ensure a simultaneous focus on all these three factors together as these three elements would help sustain a congenial environment for investment and all-round, across-the-board development of Pakistan."

At the same time, he said, maintenance of peace and security would help Pakistan achieve its rightful place in the comity of nations as an important, progressive and dynamic country.

President Musharraf stressed that the time of talking was behind, and the nation now had to deal with internal security issues seriously. "We have to understand the environment, take decisions and ensure their meaningful execution."

The president dismissed as absolutely wrong an impression created by vested interests that decisions were taken at the behest of some western countries. "That is absolutely wrong, whatever decisions are being taken are in Pakistan's national interests - the people of Pakistan want peace and harmony, an environment in which they can progress and prosper."

The president identified contrasting perceptions vis-a-vis law and order and the gap between policy formulation and implementation as major impediments in the way of maintenance of peace and security in the country.

He said that religio-political parties as well as ulema and Mashaikh should fulfil their obligations and promote sectarian harmony and tolerance. Referring to Al Qaeda-linked terrorists hiding in the tribal areas, he said these elements had been behind a number of terrorist incidents.

"The foreign extremists are not doing anything for the cause of Islam, but following their self-serving agenda - we will flush all terrorists out of Pakistan." The president praised the performance of intelligence agency networks and law-enforcement agencies with regard to combating internal security challenges.

Speaking in the international context, the president said a mix of desperation born of non-settlement of political disputes and poverty bred extremism, which led to violence and terrorism.

In this context, he referred to his vision of enlightened moderation and said simultaneous implementation of its two prongs - rejection of extremism by the Muslim countries in favour of socio-economic development and west's resolution of political disputes facing the Muslims - could help make the world a safer place to live in.

Prime Minister Chaudhry Shujaat said that anyone seen trying to hurt the integrity, sovereignty and security of Pakistan would be dealt with sternly.The prime minister emphasized the need to strike at the roots of terrorism, for which there was a need for greater coordination between the federal and provincial governments.

After the meeting, Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat told newsmen that the meeting discussed internal security threats and reviewed ways of countering them. "We focused on the possible solutions to the law and order problems and decided that the government would concentrate on addressing the problems at flashpoint places.

"With a close coordination between the provinces and the federal government, we will be able to root-out the menace of extremism, terrorism and lawlessness," the minister added.

The meeting was attended by federal ministers for finance, interior, information, and religious affairs, provincial governors and chief ministers, vice chief of the army staff and heads of law-enforcement and intelligence agencies. -APP

Our Staff Reporter adds: President Musharraf took serious note of a 'fatwa' reported to have been issued against the army and the Wana operation by some ulema from the Darul Fatah Mosque located in the capital's sector E-7.