War on terror in our own interest: PM

Published September 9, 2004

RIYADH, Sept 8: Pakistan is not fighting terrorism on behalf of the United States but for its own stability, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said in an interview published here on Wednesday.

"It is not true that we fight terrorism on behalf of (US President George) Bush's administration," Mr Aziz told Saudi Arabia's Okaz daily.

"Our fight against terrorism is directed at the narrow-minded people who want to take us back to the stone age," he said during his visit of the kingdom on his first foreign visit since taking office on Aug 28. He also denied having any knowledge of the whereabouts of Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden or any of his aides. -AFP

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