A stable Pakistan in international communitys interest: Brown to Musharraf

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has old President Pervez Musharraf that a stable Pakistan is in the nternational communitys interests, while the latter has assured he former that next months general elections will be credible nd will see the participation of all political parties.

London, Jan.29 : British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has old President Pervez Musharraf that a stable Pakistan is in the nternational community's interests, while the latter has assured he former that next month's general elections will be credible nd will see the participation of all political parties.

Addressing a joint press conference in London after a one-to-one eeting with President Pervez Musharraf at 10 Downing Street, rown said the democratic process in Pakistan was a priority for he international community.

"We had a productive meeting. We discussed the ongoing war on error and I briefed the prime minister on Pakistan's strategy nd measures to fight terrorism and extremism," the Daily Times uoted Musharraf, as saying.

Musharraf also said that it was incorrect to say that Pakistan ad failed to play its role in the global war on terror.

"We have a challenge but we are trying to cope with it. We are ighting terrorists and extremists and we are succeeding. It's a ong battle which cannot be won in days," he was quoted, as aying further.

It was also wrong to say that all Pakistani students were being aught in madrassas, he said.

"Only two percent of the students go to these seminaries, and hat too in those areas where schools are not available ... this s because of poverty," he added.

Brown said that he would alk to world leaders in the next few eeks to get more economic assistance for Pakistan.

"I will work with other leaders to create opportunities for akistan," Brown said.

Earlier on Monday, Musharraf told senior British journalists at otel Dorchester that his government believed in an independent edia and "will continue to encourage its growth."

During the 70-minute meeting, he stressed the need for the West o understand the challenges and problems Pakistan was facing.

Speaking at the Royal College of Defence, he said Pakistan was ot exporting terrorism but was its victim. He said Pakistan's redicaments began in 1979 when the US and the West initiated a ar against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan.

ANI