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April 2002 Musharraf Pledges Full Support for Karzai
VOA
News 2
Apr 2002 15:49 UTC

Pakistan President
Pervez Musharraf has pledged full support for the interim Afghan administration
of Hamid Karzai.
During his first
visit to post-Taleban Afghanistan, General Musharraf said he and Mr. Karzai
also promised their governments will not interfere in each other's
affairs.
At a news conference
in Kabul Tuesday, the Pakistani president said the two leaders will step up the
fight against terrorism and the illegal drug trade.
Meanwhile, in the
Pakistan capital, a coalition of six hardline Islamic political parties are
demanding General Musharraf order U.S. troops to leave the
country.
A coalition
spokesman, Maulana Shah Ahmed Noorani, alleged the presence of U.S. forces in
Pakistan undermines Pakistani sovereignty and threatens the country's religion
and culture.
General Musharraf has
allowed U.S. forces to use bases in Pakistan as part of the U.S.-led campaign
against Afghanistan's Taliban and al-Qaida terrorist
network.
The coalition
spokesman also announced nationwide rallies Friday and Sunday to show
solidarity with Palestinians under siege by Israeli forces in the West
Bank.
Hardline Islamic
parties in Pakistan have sought to build opposition to President Musharraf
since the general ended Pakistan's long-time support for Afghanistan's former
Taleban rulers after the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United
States.
Today's one-day
Afghan visit was not announced until General Musharraf had left Pakistan,
apparently for security reasons.
Mr. Karzai visited
Pakistan in February, and the two leaders agreed to work to develop warm
relations between the neighboring countries.
Some information
for this report provided by ap.
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