Musharraf says foreigners to blame for terror

Lahore: Foreign militants are spreading terror in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) adjoining Afghanistan, President Pervez Musharraf has said.

Foreigners, especially Uzbeks and Afghans with links to Al Qaida, were hiding in Pakistan's tribal belt and in mountains and carrying out terrorist activities, Musharraf said on Saturday while addressing the National Management College here.

The president said the Taliban, which had links with the foreign militants, was facilitating terrorism, the Daily Times reported on Sunday.

Terrorism and extremism were hampering Pakistan's development, the president said, adding he feared the spread of Talibanisation beyond FATA to Swat and the southern parts of the North West Frontier Province.