President General Pervez Musharraf called President Hamid Karzai "oblivious" to events in Afghanistan and said on Sunday he was not concerned about US ties with rival India. Musharraf renewed a weeklong tiff with Afghanistan over co-operation in the search for remnant Taleban, Osama bin Laden, and al Qaeda.
"There is a very, very deliberate attempt to malign Pakistan by some (Afghani) agents, and President Karzai is totally oblivious of what is happening in his own country," Musharraf told CNN's "Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer".
In response to a question, the President took exception to the "leakage to the Press" of the piece of information provided by President Hamid Karzai during his recent visit to Pakistan. He termed "nonsensical" the information that Mulla Umar was living in Quetta.
"This is absolute nonsense. So, if at all, he (Mulla Umar) was there. He (President Karzai) should have told us exactly when he (the Taleban leader) came, so that we would have nabbed him."
Musharraf said he was giving a "harsh" response since reliance has been made on an old information, and that too had been leaked to the Press.
Responding to another question on seeming tension in the relationship with Karzai, Musharraf said it was "unfortunately" developing in the last "one or two months"- before that, "there was no tension" and these relations "were going on in an excellent way."
He said President Karzai knows "how he got elected. He knows how much we helped in the election process. If it was not for Pakistan-may be, he and his election would not have taken place smoothly." "He knows that, because he told me personally. Now, I know that there is a problem on the border area, there is a problem on Pakistan side, there is a problem in Afghanistan also. Now, if anybody in the Afghan government throws the entire blame on Pakistan-as if nothing is happening in Afghanistan-that, everyone is here, Mulla Umar is living in Quetta?"
"This kind of nonsensical accusations are not acceptable," the President said, adding: "we know, how these are happening."
He added that once President Karzai gave him these numbers, "I passed him intelligence as to what is happening in his intelligence organisation and in his ministry of defence-he better set that right, because, I feel, it is now further confirmed that the information that he passed on to us was leaked to the Press. There was no need of doing that, because that certainly alerts whatever enemies we are operating against."
Musharraf said there was no need of releasing "such sensitive information" to the Press, and that "he (President Karzai) did that, and his government's people did that. Therefore, the harsh response now that I am giving."
Stating that he was "very satisfied" with his talks with US President George Bush, Musharraf said "that this tendency of being Indo-centric in all relations does not have a rationale."
"Indeed, I am very satisfied. We developed very close understanding, and there was a lot of substance in the interaction," he told Wolf Blitzer.
He said: "I will tend to agree with him (President Bush) that when we are dealing with two countries, inter-state relations have different compulsions - they have different nuances. Their relationship with India-who doesn't know which side it is directed - and, the relationship with Pakistan has a totally different nuance, so, therefore, in interstate relations, countries have to look at each others interests-the mutuality of interests."
As far as nuclear side is concerned, the President said, "Pakistan does not really need much from United States, at all. What we need is nuclear energy, and we discussed that with him-and, there was a very positive response from his side."
"So, our need vis-a-vis with United States is totally different-as far as Indian need with United States is concerned," he said, adding: "Pakistan has its interests and United States has its interests in Pakistan. We need to see that, and to move forward on that track.
The President said, "I think, Pakistan and the US move forward on the track-where ever there is mutual interest - and we don't have to bother what they are doing with India."
"No. It didn't come up under discussion during this talk," Musharraf said when asked about the issue of A Q Khan.
When asked to comment on editorial published by 'The Washington Post' in respect of democracy, he said, "I would like to respond very strongly against it. I think, Washington Post doesn't know what they are writing. I don't think they even know what our environment is."
He said "a sustainable democracy" has been introduced in Pakistan while the daily was talking of "restoring democracy."
"Democracy, really is empowerment of people. We have empowered the people of Pakistan through the local government system, which was non-existent in the past."
He said it also means empowerment of the women of Pakistan, "We have done that for the first time, in the history of Pakistan.
"We have empowered the minorities of Pakistan. This is again for the first time that we have given them the joint electorate system, and they have been mainstreamed in the political milieu of Pakistan, We have liberated Press and the media - that is what is democracy, freedom of speech and expression. Today, the electronic and print media in Pakistan are totally free; and there are dozens of private television channels operating, where there was only one in the past."
"Then I myself, have been elected, allowed to be the president in uniform through a two-third majority in the National Assembly. I am holding these posts through a very democratic and constitutional method, I have been allowed in the constitution of Pakistan, and I hold two positions through a democratic process of being elected by two-third majority."
"And, ultimately, as far as my uniform issue is concerned, there will be elections in 2007, and I will abide by the Constitution.
Asked would he seek reelection, the President said, "well, let next year come. And, I will look into that. So much is happening, Let's see, if the nation needs me, I'll serve the nation, certainly."
About the hunt for Osama bin Laden, and purported remarks by his deputy Ayman al Zawahiri, and as to where the al Qaeda leaders were hiding, Musharraf said that frankly, he would not be able to say "we are closer or farther - we don't know, where they are".
"We are launching our operations on all al Qaeda positions that we come to know of-al Qaeda or Taleban. If we'll get them, we'll get them. But, we don't exactly know, where they are. I presume they are somewhere in the border area, on the Pakistan side or Afghan side. So, I won't be able to comment whether we have got any closer to them."