Blaming religious extremists for 'ruining' Pakistan's image, President Pervez Musharraf has said Friday's attack on a mosque in Quetta has hurt his campaign to improve the country's image abroad and scout for foreign investment.
Addressing a press conference on his return from a four-nation foreign tour, Musharraf said such attacks by extremists negated his attempts to get the travel advisories lifted against Pakistan. "As a leader I start feeling small. I go and say something and this unfortunate incident takes place here in our country," he said referring to his numerous meetings with
investors and businessmen in the UK, the US, Germany and France.
Asked whether the attack on the mosque was carried by sectarian extremists or he suspected involvement of Afghans,
Musharraf said: "It may be the work of sectarian extremists or religious extremists, whom I condemn in strongest terms. They are not only harming our nation but they are bringing a bad name to great religion of Islam.
"They think they are doing this for the sake of the religion but actually they are disgracing our religion."
Musharraf, however, did not rule out the possibility of involvement of outside forces in the attacks. "The possibility of involvement from across the border cannot be ruled out. We need to see. We have to think very seriously and we will take action against that also," he said.
Prime Minister Jafarullah Khan Jamali, who had gone to Quetta on Friday, has stayed put in the city to coordinate the relief work and help keep the situation under control.