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Remarks about rape victims seeking visas:

Musharraf says he was wrongly quoted

* Willing to work with ‘sincere’ NGOs
* Wants to see a female army chief
* Gestures towards Israel were to support the Palestinians

By Khalid Hasan

NEW YORK: President General Pervez Musharraf has denied he made remarks about rape victims attributed to him by the Washington Post, saying he was misquoted.

The president said this in a meeting with Time Magazine and later at a speech to a conference of Pakistani-American women. Speaking at the conference, he dealt with what he called the “aspersions” cast on him. He said he was not so “cynical or stupid” as to say what was being attributed to him, namely that he had called rape a means of getting out of Pakistan and settling abroad. He had been “misquoted” because all he had said was that he was present when this remark was made.

“I stand totally on the side of women and their struggle against violence and gender equality,” he said.

The president said that Pakistan’s record on women’s rights “leaves much to be desired and we should be ashamed of it”. Referring to protests being made in favour of Pakistani rape victims abroad, he said rape was an abhorrent act but asked why Pakistan was being singled out for castigation. “Are there not rapes in the US or Canada? Are American victims of rape taken to China? Are Canadian rape victims taken to Australia? What about French rape victims?” he asked.

He said he was “indignant and angry” that the Pakistani rape issue was being raised in New York as if Pakistan were the only country where violence against women happens. He criticised NGOs that carried out such campaigns. He said he was willing to work with these organisations provided they were sincere. There could be a difference of opinion on the means employed to address the issue of rape but the objectives were the same.

“We should reinforce and coalesce our efforts. I am willing to work with any group that is sincere. I am with them, but if the intention is to malign me or the Government of Pakistan or Pakistan, then let them shout because I can shout louder.”

Agencies add: The president said his government was trying to end Pakistan’s tribal and feudal culture to allow women more rights and end religious hatred. “Children are not being sent to schools and this culture should be changed,” he said, adding that girls outperformed boys in education.

“For the first time by changing army rules an army female doctors has been promoted to the rank of Major General and it is my desire that a female should come forward as army chief,” he said.

In an interview with the Arabic-language Asharq al-Aswat newspaper published on Saturday, the president said Pakistan’s recent gestures towards Israel were meant to support the Palestinians. “We want to strengthen the Palestinian cause and support it. We want to try to influence Israel to establish a Palestinian state,” he said. “We won’t have a role if we don’t deal with them. But if we talk then we can at least exert pressure and use our clout.”

Gen Musharraf conceded that Pakistan was concerned about military ties between Israel and India, but said, “We have many ways to strike a balance and guarantee our own deterrence strategy.”

The president also said that India and Pakistan had made “considerable” progress on resolving the Sir Creek and Siachen disputes.

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