Military government would not be able to deal with terrorism: Benazir

Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has warned that the military government would not be able to deal with the threat of terrorism in northwestern Pakistans lawless tribal areas.

Montreal, Aug 19 : Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has warned that the military government would not be able to deal with the threat of terrorism in northwestern Pakistan's lawless tribal areas.

"The root cause of the problem lies in the inability of the Musharraf regime to assert governmental authority and state authority in the tribal areas," Bhutto said.

"As long as we have a cabinet that needs the threat of terrorism to sustain a military dictatorship in Pakistan we're never going to get rid of terrorism," she added.

"The military is the problem. True democracy will deal with the social and economic needs of the people of Pakistan," The News quoted Bhutto, as saying.

She also called on the international community to support a transfer to a regular democratic government in Islamabad.

Bhutto's participation in the election would depend on a constitutional amendment that would allow Prime Ministers to serve a third term.

"The money that has gone into Pakistan so far has not led to the pacification of the tribal areas where people are desperately poor and the militants exploit this poverty to hire them as soldiers," Bhutto said.

"Our people have been thrown to the wolves; they've been thrown to the militants," she added.

ANI