Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf yesterday reiterated Pakistan's unwavering commitment to fighting terrorism and said a joint strategy and close cooperation in the area of intelligence sharing were vital to the success of the ongoing anti-terror campaign.

 

The president made the remarks while meeting with Commander-in-Chief of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) General John P. Abizaid in Islamabad.

 

Musharraf said that the anti-terror efforts should take into account the ground realties and accordingly frame strategies to deal with the new environment.

 

He said Pakistan fully understood the environment and had planned a holistic strategy to fight terrorism and curb extremism, which was being implemented.

 

During the meeting, they discussed the overall geo-strategic environment in the region and the ongoing cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries.

 

The US CENTCOM chief, who is on a two-day official visit to Pakistan, expressed his deep appreciation regarding invaluable assistance rendered by Pakistan armed forces in fighting terrorism.

 

He particularly lauded the role of Pakistan's intelligence agencies in the anti-terror campaign and said their cooperation was crucial in thwarting plots and apprehending most wanted terrorists.

 

(Xinhua News Agency October 8, 2006)