SINGAPORE, Oct 27 (AFP) - Pakistan supports Afghan President Hamid Karzai but democratic polls in its neighbor will not influence Pakistan's political processes, President Pervez Musharraf said in remarks published here Wednesday.
In an interview with Singapore's Straits Times, Musharraf declared "we are with President Karzai" and dismissed suggestions that the Pakistan military maintained links with the former Taliban regime in Kabul for strategic reasons.
"And (Karzai) knows this very well. He himself rang me after the elections thanking me for all the assistance," Musharraf said, adding that "vested interests" were spreading rumors about Pakistan's intentions in Afghanistan.
Asked if Afghanistan's presidential elections could create pressure to speed up the restoration of democracy in Pakistan, Musharraf replied: "If we have to learn democracy from Afghanistan, God save Pakistan."
"We are well on course with our democracy," added the Pakistani president, who is also the army chief.
Karzai is the presumed winner of Afghanistan's first popular elections. The US-backed interim leader has secured a majority in a nearly complete count of the October 9 vote and expects an announcement of the results this weekend.
In the interview with the Singapore daily, Musharraf denied perpetuating his hold on power by creating a National Security Council, which he described as an "institutional check" on the power of the president as well as the army chief.
"Previously, there was no check on me. I could get up and decide among my people: 'The prime minister is stupid and sick. OK. Dismiss him.' That was within my power previously," he said.
"I personally believe that the National Security Council will introduce sustainable democracy with checks on everyone, including the army chief," Musharraf added.
Pakistan's national assembly has passed a law allowing Musharraf to keep both offices despite his pledge to quit as army chief by the end of the year. The law now awaits approval by the Senate, where the government also enjoys a majority.
In recent months Musharraf has said his nation's fight against terrorism and the peace dialogue with India requires him to keep his dual posts.
On Pakistan's role in Afghanistan, he said "external operatives" were behind a perception that his country's military might have a permanent interest in Afghanistan for strategic reasons linked to relations with India.
"These are hackneyed terms, 'strategic depth' and all that. This was a term used in the past. I never believed in this. And there's already a rapprochement going on with India," he said.
Suggestions that Pakistan had not fully withdrawn support for the Taliban "are frankly irritating" and spread by "external operatives" who "prefer creating this rift."
10/27/2004 02:44 GMT - AFP