I may be a military man but not a dictator: Musharraf

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Agencies

Posted online: Saturday , January 12, 2008 at 06:04:31
Updated: Saturday , January 12, 2008 at 06:19:34

Islamabad, January 12: Insisting that he was not a ‘dictator’, President Pervez Musharraf has said that democracy would gradually take roots in Pakistan.

"I may be a military man, but I am not a dictator," he said in an interview to the French daily Le Figaro.

Musharraf, who stepped down as Army Chief in November, 2007, said democracy was the path that needs to be followed and stressed that in Pakistan, it will gradually make its way, but at its own pace.

"The West cannot impose its way of thinking," he said, claiming that he did more in 6 years to advance democracy than his predecessors did in 50 years.

About his popularity, he acknowledged that it had dropped, but added, "I am not unpopular."

"I know very well what is the support that I have from the masses, the elite and the army. The day I think that I am genuinely unpopular, I will be the first to resign," he was quoted as saying by the official APP news agency.

About the war against terrorism, the President said it was not on behalf of the US, but on behalf of Pakistan. "It is in the interest of Pakistan to root out terrorism and extremism. It is the wish of the people of Pakistan."

Musharraf said in addition to the foreign al-Qaeda, there were ‘radical Taliban’. He said the extremists were potential terrorists and stressed on the need for a long-term fight against it.

When asked about the threat by the US to condition their financial aid to Pakistan, Musharraf said over the past 6 years the country has received a total of about USD 9 billion, of which more than half was received as part of the fight against terrorism.

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