LONDON, June 20: President Pervez Musharraf is worried about retaliation for recent security raids on tribal groups harbouring Al Qaeda-linked militants in South Waziristan.

In an interview published in the online version of Britain's Sunday Telegraph newspaper, he said he hoped the fighting would not spread to other tribal areas. "But it can have a fallout - these people have contacts elsewhere in the country and they can retaliate in the rest of the country in the form of bomb blasts, attacks on important persons and installations -- and so we have to guard against that."

President Musharraf, who survived two assassination attempts in December, also said he was worried about the rise of suicide bombers in Pakistan. "...Yes, it is the most dangerous act because counter-measures are difficult. We have to take counter-measures in the form of breaking the groups.

And may I very proudly say that the intelligence agencies are doing an excellent job in breaking these groups." He ruled out the possibility of any proliferation of nuclear technology, saying "now the best possible custodial measures are in place to protect the country's nuclear installations."

The president said: "As far as those assets are concerned, they are under very strong controls of the armed forces of Pakistan." He added: "All possible doubtful areas have been removed. I think we have taken tremendous action.

I am very sure that there cannot be any proliferation, there cannot be any assets falling into wrong hands. I am very sure about that." About scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, the president said: "He has been pardoned.

He is not under house arrest. But he is in Islamabad in his house. For his own security he is not moving much at all. But certainly the family is moving around, the children are going to school.

There is no restriction on them at all. They can move around but in their own interests and for their own security, it is better that they stay in one place as much as possible."

Asked about the achievements he was proud of during his rule, President Musharraf remarked: "Economic revival, of course. Setting the economy - bringing health to the economy, that is the biggest achievement.

"Secondly, I would like to comment on the local government - that is the greatest achievement I would like to convey to the Commonwealth, if they are talking about real democracy, which was not existing here.

We were living in a colonial period where the people were governed by a Deputy Commissioner, one man, a bureaucrat, who used to be king in his district. We have broken that and made the people govern themselves.

Now the DCO comes under the people's representative who is the Mayor or Nazim. Now this is our greatest achievement - introducing democracy at the grass roots level and empowering the people politically, administratively, financially. This is the real development, the real future of Pakistan. There are also many other issues, emancipation of women." -APP