Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf in an interview with Pakistan Television on Wednesday (8) offered his deepest condolences to all the family members of the French men and the Pakistanis who lost their lives in the previous day’s terrorist attack in Karachi.

"In analysing this incident, first of all we believe that this has been perpetrated by someone who wants to destabilize Pakistan internally. They do not want to see the economic development, economic stability coming into Pakistan. They want to drive a wedge and weaken the resolve of Pakistan in its act against international terrorism and also the other aspect, may be also to weaken our defence potential because the act has a direct relevance to certain areas of defence production that was being undertaken in Pakistan. We feel that this act of international terrorism has to be met with full force. My Government had the complete resolve of meeting this threat. We had an immediate conference, with me in the chair, with all the intelligence organisations and the Law Enforcement Agencies and we have decided on a number of measures to ensure protection or prevention of such international acts of terrorism.

I would appeal to the International Community to understand our domestic environment resulting from our cooperation against international terrorism, understanding our concerns and also understand that Pakistan will do and is already doing all that it can to combat terrorism, international terrorism. In the days to come we would show further resolve in combating international terrorism".

General Musharraf in a telephone call to French President Chirac on the same day said he regretted the act of terrorism against the innocent French citizens and offered his deepest sorrow and condolences to the bereaved families. He assured President Chirac of Pakistan government’s firm resolve to deal with the international terrorists who are trying to create a wedge between the two friendly countries. By attacking the French citizens working on defence projects they attempted to weaken Pakistan’s defence capabilities. President Musharraf invited the French government to assist in the investigation of this act of terrorism. While condemning it in the strongest terms the President expressed his commitment to continue Pakistan’s fight against international terrorism. President Musharraf considers this attack as an attack on Pakistan as well as France.

President Chirac expressed his complete understanding and full support to the Government of Pakistan and described this as a terrible act against Pakistan. President Mushrraf assured his Government’s resolve to provide full security cover to all French nationals, as well as other foreigners in Pakistan.