Date:22/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/09/22/stories/2006092205781600.htm

International

We won't hesitate to send troops to Pakistan for Osama: Bush

I will not allow sovereignty of Pakistan to be breached: Musharraf

Washington: The U.S. would not hesitate to send its troops into Pakistan to hunt for Osama bin Laden if there was credible intelligence about his location, President George W. Bush said in an interview.

However, his Pakistani counterpart Pervez Musharraf made it clear that he would not allow the sovereignty of his country to be breached by the U.S. ``We will do it ourselves... we are able to do everything, wherever we locate anybody... there have been many such occasions where we have located Al-Qaeda or Taliban activity and we have struck with full force very successfully,'' Gen. Musharraf told reporters when asked about Mr. Bush's comment.

Responding to a question whether U.S. forces would track down Osama if it meant hunting him down on Pakistani soil, Mr. Bush in an interview to CNN on Wednesday replied, ``Absolutely''. ``We would take action necessary to bring him [Osama] to justice,'' the U.S. President said.

Mr. Bush, who will meet Gen. Musharraf at the White House next week, praised the Pakistani President for his efforts to dismantle Al-Qaeda terror network.

``I view President Musharraf as somebody who would like to bring Al-Qaeda to justice. As a matter of fact we would be discussing that with him on that subject on Friday at the White House,'' he said.

Dual role to stay

Gen. Musharraf, on Thursday hinted that he would not relinquish the post of Army Chief in the near future. He said he has derived strength from his uniform to amend the controversial Islamic laws which no leader, including a woman Premier, had dared to touch. As rights groups stepped up their campaign in support of the Women's Protection Bill in Pakistan, he told reporters in New York that he is the only ruler since 1979, who had the courage to amend the Hudood Ordinance which has draconian provisions against rape victims.

``No one touched this [law] since 1979 because it is most difficult. If I were not in uniform, I would not [have] touched this issue,'' he said defending the importance of his continuing as Chief of Army and President.

Referring to Benazir Bhutto, he said the laws were not touched even when Pakistan had a woman as Prime Minister. Expressing his Government's commitment to reforming Pakistan's laws through the Women's Protection Bill, he said ``we need a consensus.'' — PTI