No talks with extremists: Benazir

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who escaped an assassination bid on October 18 in Karachi, has categorically ruled out any talks with extremists who had killed innocent Muslims of the country.

Lahore, Oct 29 : Former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who escaped an assassination bid on October 18 in Karachi, has categorically ruled out any talks with extremists who had killed innocent Muslims of the country.

Benazir went on to say that extremists must respect the law of the land, and she will talk to those who did not carry weapons, Geo News reported.

Commenting on the violence in the Swat region of Waziristan Province, Benazir said the Musharraf regime had allowed the situation in the region to deteriorate over the last five years.

"Private armies are being formed in the wake of the government's wrong policies," the Daily Times quoted Benazir, as saying.

She further said that violence in the tribal areas and in the Swat region would spread unless any decisive action is taken.

"It's moving into settled areas like Swat where several members of our paramilitary forces have lost their lives, and I feel very sad that in the last years we were not able to address this problem," the former Prime Minister said.

Benazir said she has not yet taken a decision to meet President General Pervez Musharraf.

As far as the forthcoming general elections are concerned, she said, "I see the election of 2007 as a political turning point in the history of Pakistan. It is essential that power is transferred from dictatorship in a smooth manner."

Benazir also visited the family of a PPP supporter who had lost his life when suicide bombers attacked her homecoming rally on October 18.

She condoled with the family of Nizamuddin Sammo and promised them financial assistance from the PPP, the daily reported.

ANI