President General Pervez Musharraf has called for raising an Iraqi force to deal with its security problems, saying that the presence of American or British forces in Iraq was not a solution.
In an interview with Newsweek's Lally Weymouth, Musharraf said "the visibility of any foreign troops - whether American or British - is not at all welcome in Iraq. Nobody likes to be occupied by foreign troops.
He said, "The answer lies not in bringing in more foreign troops, but in raising the army in Iraq itself so it can take over security. Everything should lead to an exit strategy."
To a question if he discussed the exit strategy for British troops and US with President Bush and Prime Minister Allawi, he said, "Yes, both agree that Iraqi forces should be raised. But where they get the "forces from is the question".
The president said Pakistan has offered to train troops for Iraq, but made it clear that "under the present circumstances" he would not send troops to Iraq.
When asked if the war in Iraq was a good idea and how it has affected the area, President Musharraf said, "I think it has complicated the situation in the Islamic world. It has increased the opposition to the US in the Islamic world."
President Musharraf said, "All terrorist and militant activities in the world today has been initiated because of the Palestinian problem. This is because of the sense of hopelessness, alienation and powerlessness."
About Osama's capture, he said, "We don't know where he is," however, when asked if he was alive, he said, "Most likely, almost certainly."
About his meeting with President Bush and decision on any plan of action against al-Qaeda, he said, "We are in constant contact, and we co-operate on the intelligence side. President Bush knows what is happening. The strategy is co-ordinated."
He said Pakistan was cracking down in all possible ways on the terrorist groups in the country.
"They are banned, and as far as recruitment, that is also totally banned. Groups may do it clandestinely, but previously they had offices and recruiting centres all over. Their accounts have been frozen and offices sealed," he added.
About the issue of his uniform, he said, "I haven't said I won't take off the uniform, I have yet to decide.
Meanwhile, President Musharraf dismissed as absolutely wrong a report expressing concern over the state of human rights in Pakistan and said that people in the country have been empowered at the grassroots level and they enjoy democratic rights, including an unprecedented freedom of expression in the media.
"Pakistan's human rights record is in many ways better than many developed states and the negative reports are out of tune with ground realities in the country," he said, rejecting a US State Department report.
He told editors of prominent Italian newspapers in Rome that human rights essentially mean empowerment of people and informed them that local government system, an open media policy and political reforms have empowered women, minorities and electronic channels like never before.
The president said the minorities in Pakistan also enjoy full rights, guaranteed to them under the Constitution and the law.
On freedom of media, he said, both the newspapers and TV channels are free to express a diversity of views and elected members are free to criticise his policies.
He said until recently Pakistan had just one state TV channel, but as a result of open media policy, the nation now has a choice of a dozen private channels operating without any interference.
The president said the government is successfully tackling the child labour problem, but called upon the developed countries to have a better understanding of the reality of Pakistan's conditions as a child may be working to feed his poor family, having no other breadwinner.
President Musharraf informed the editors that he has not yet decided about his office of Army Chief, but is concerned about sustainability and continuity of policies being pursued in the interest of Pakistan.
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