WASHINGTON — President Pervez Musharraf has criticised President Bush's remarks about declaring Iran and Iraq as axis of evil, saying: "The extensive US military presence here should end as soon as events in Afghanistan permit." In an interview with The Washington Post before leaving for Boston, Musharraf said that Bush's remarks "evoked a lot of negative response". He said he would advise the president (Bush) that "under this present state of turmoil and uncertainty around the world, especially the Islamic world," he should avoid actions that would create "further uncertainty".
On the eve of his visit to the United States, he expressed the hope to reinforce cooperation and friendship between the two countries. Musharraf said that Indian intelligence agencies might have had a hand in the kidnapping of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, suggesting that the journalist might have been a pawn in an intelligence "game" being played by India. "It's very much a possibility that it has been done by the Indians, orchestrated by the Indians. That's what we are looking into," Musharraf was quoted as saying. He said indirect indications suggest Saeed could have been acting in concert with India. Musharraf lamented the damage done to Pakistan's image by the kidnapping. "Unfortunately, an incident takes place and you convert this one incident into a sort of a rule, as if all over Pakistan everyone is insecure and nobody should come. It's one sad, unfortunate, regrettable and despicable act," Musharraf was quoted as saying. "I feel so sorry for this Daniel Pearl and his wife — what a terrible thing. I feel sorry and I feel bad for my country even, because it does create such images, which is not the truth."
Musharraf referred to the two Islamic leaders' time in India when discussing why he believed India might have played a role in the Pearl kidnapping. When asked by the Post as to how it was possible that men so publicly identified with the fight against India over Kashmir could be secretly working for New Delhi, Musharraf replied: "It does very much make sense to me. It makes sense to me because . . . the leader of Jaish-i-Muhammad was in jail for seven long years in India and he wasn't even tried . . . How is all this happening in India? And this man (Saeed) was also there." He added: "We all know intelligence is a very bad game, and they can come out with any kind of game to justify or to organise or orchestrate such kind of activities. These are common activities orchestrated by the intelligence agencies."
Musharraf also suggested that "negative fallout" from his vow last month to crack down on militant groups could have played a role in the kidnapping. And he was critical of Pearl's conduct, suggesting that the 38-year-old reporter had risked too much by pursuing contacts with Pakistan's terrorist underworld. "According to my information, Mr Pearl was also trying to get overly involved with people who are maybe dangerous," Musharraf said. "I wonder whether it was because of his over-involvement that he landed himself into this kind of a problem."
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