Musharraf warns India that Pakistan is ready to defend its borders

Saturday, March 23rd 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(ISLAMABAD, Pakistan) - President Gen. Pervez Musharraf warned India on Saturday that Pakistan was ready to defend its borders against any act of aggression by its South Asian rival.

In his annual Pakistani National Day address, Musharraf expressed a willingness to hold talks with India to resolve all issues _ including the long-standing dispute over the Himalayan region of Kashmir.

The countries have fought two wars over Kashmir since they won independence from British colonial role in 1947.

``If any one tries to challenge (Pakistan's) power, they would be taught a lesson that would be remembered for a long time,'' Musharraf said in a televised address.

Musharraf said that Indian forces had taken ``an aggressive posture,'' but that Pakistan's forces could deal with their adversaries ``effectively.''

In a wide-ranging speech echoing traditional patriotic themes, Musharraf also struck back at critics, defending his course on security, foreign policy and domestic issues.

He expressed Pakistan's unyielding resolve to cooperate with the United States in its war on terrorism, pledging to crush Islamic extremists no matter what the cost.

He said the menace of terrorism must be eliminated ``even if we have to pay a price for it.''

``The government will use all resources to identify and eliminate those involved in terrorism,'' Musharraf said.

The military ruler's comments came one day after the State Department ordered families of U.S. diplomatic personnel and nonessential workers to leave Pakistan. Last Sunday, an attack on a Protestant church in the capital killed five people, including two Americans.

Other Americans in the country also were encouraged to consider leaving as well.

Musharraf chastised the country's intelligence agencies for failing to predict the attack, but said that law enforcement agencies would be equipped with the ``latest weapons.'' He also said the judiciary has a key role in removing flaws in the system.

Some judges in Pakistan have been opposed to Musharraf's efforts to conduct terrorist trials that would include military judges _ a move that some civilians see as undermining the independence of the judiciary.

``I am fully confident that they (judges) will realize their responsibilities and rise to the expectations of the people,'' he said without elaboration.

Pakistan is a key backer of coalition forces in their fight against terrorism, but the support has come at a high cost. Violence has surged throughout the country since Musharraf ordered a crackdown on Islamic extremists on Jan. 12.

Musharraf, who seized power in a bloodless coup in 1999, did not give any hints about his domestic political plans, a subject that has prompted widespread debate in this South Asian nation of 147 million.

Musharraf has been holding high-level meetings to muster support for a referendum reaffirming his rule, according to politicians attending the meetings. The ballot would be held sometime before parliamentary elections set for October.