Pakistan's leader comes down hard on extremists

Musharraf: Religious extremists destroyed image of Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistan's president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, announced a ban Saturday on four militant Islamic groups, including two that have been blamed for the December 13 attack on the Indian Parliament that killed 14 people.

India has pushed Musharraf to ban the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba, both Kashmir militant groups, and hand over the groups' leaders for trial. But Musharraf said in a nationally televised speech that any Pakistanis accused of participating in the deadly attack would be tried in Pakistan.

The attack sparked an escalation in tensions between the two countries, including a massing of troops along their shared border and fears that one or both could use nuclear weapons in any conflict that began.

The general said that Pakistan would "not budge on its principled stand" on the disputed Himalayan region of Jammu Kashmir, a majority-Muslim region split by a Line of Control between Pakistan and India. Pakistan supports independence for Kashmir, while India wants to keep the state within its own borders. And he warned India not to cross into Pakistan or "we will retaliate with full force."

But, Musharraf said, extremism and terrorism will not be tolerated.

"Pakistan will not allow its territory to be used for any terrorist activity anywhere in the world," he said, calling for the international community to take "an active role in solving the Kashmir dispute for the sake of lasting peace and harmony in the region."

VIDEO Pakistan President Gen. Pervez Musharraf addresses terrorism and the Kashmir conflict in a televised speech. CNN's Tom Mintier reports. Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) On the border of India and Pakistan, people weary of constant uncertainty look to the prospect of war. CNN's Ash-Har Quraishi reports. Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   IN-DEPTH India-Pakistan standoff  • Picture gallery

In addition to the two Kashmir groups, the president said he was banning two rival domestic groups, the Sunni Sipah-i-Sahaba and the Shi'ite Tehrik-i-Jafria. Both groups have been blamed for a rash of attacks across Pakistan.

In the videotaped speech that lasted more than an hour and was heavily sprinkled with spiritual philosophy, Musharraf soundly condemned religious extremism, saying it had no place in the practice of true Islam. He accused fundamentalist religious leaders of acting on "a basis of selfish interests" that fostered Muslims killing other Muslims while ignoring the needs of the Pakistani people.

"These few religious extremists ... destroyed the international image of Pakistan and we were projected as a very backward country in the international media," he said. "Our economy was destroyed and damaged."

Musharraf criticized fundamentalist Islamic schools, or madrasahs, that he said teach "terrorism and religious hatred instead of teaching them friendship and brotherhood," as the madrasahs were intended to do.

"Islamic education ... with the hatred and the terrorism should be taken away," he said.

The president threatened to shut down madrasahs that continue to stoke extremist fires, and said mosques that promote religious activity could likewise be forced to close.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell applauded Musharraf's "bold and principled stand" against terrorism, calling his offer to resolve differences with India through dialogue "encouraging."

"This speech reconfirms Pakistan's role as a front-line state in the war against global terrorism," said Powell, who will visit Pakistan and India next week.

In a statement from White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer, President Bush welcomed Musharraf's "firm decision to stand against terrorism and extremism and his commitment to the principle that no person or no organization will be allowed to indulge in terrorism as a means to further its cause."

Prior to the broadcast of the speech, Pakistani police arrested more than 250 people in Karachi Saturday, using a "maintaining public order" bulletin.

The "maintaining public order" bulletin was issued to round up potential opposition and curb the likelihood of major demonstrations. Many of those incarcerated were taken from mosques and madrasahs.

Musharraf has been under fire from religious extremists, particularly since his decision to support the U.S.-led coalition fighting the war against terrorism in Afghanistan.

-- CNN's Tom Mintier contributed to this report.