Pak Army not backing extremism: Zardari

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari Friday strongly dispelled the notion that Pakistan's armed forces were directly or indirectly involved in supporting the extremist or terrorist elements.

Addressing joint press conference along with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad here at Aiwan-e-Sadr following the third trilateral summit, President Zardari denied that Pakistani armed forces were involved with militants in Afghanistan.

Replying to a question he said there might be some elements in the country, whom he termed as "residue of war" who could be blamed
for militancy.

He said these persons were the remnants of the war against Soviet Union who fought in Afghanistan.

President said, "I personally suffered a loss" and referred to the assassination of his wife former Prime Minister Mohtarma Benazir
Bhutto in a terrorist attack.

He said still "no one would tell me who was the financer of Baitullah Mahsud."

President Zardari said there was drug trade worth billions of dollars going on in Afghanistan and he had called for the United States (US) to pay attention to this matter.

Zardari said, "This (terrorism) is a world problem and they have left the baby with us." (APP)