ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Repeatedly paying homage to his assassinated wife, new President Asif Ali Zardari declared Tuesday that he has a comprehensive plan to fight terrorism and said Pakistan’s people are behind him.
Zardari, elected by legislators Saturday, was long on platitudes but short on specifics while meeting with media after taking the oath of office in a short ceremony at the presidential palace. He was chosen to replace Pervez Musharraf, a U.S. ally who resigned under pressure last month.
With President Hamid Karzai of neighboring Afghanistan by his side for a news conference, the widower of former two-time Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto said he hoped to turn Pakistan’s negatives into positives.
“As far as America is concerned, the fact that we are on the globe and we are in the eye of the storm, I consider that an opportunity,” Zardari said, noting that most countries welcome foreign investment.
“I intend to take that and make it our strength. We intend to take the world with us in developing the future of Pakistan and changing the future of our neighbors,” he said.
Karzai said he found common ground with Zardari.
“For each step that you take in the war against terrorism for bringing peace to two countries, for bringing stability to two countries, Afghanistan will take many, many steps with you,” he said.
The 53-year-old Zardari, whose wife was killed in a gun-and-bomb attack in December, is trying to convince his countrymen that the war on terrorism is their battle, not just Washington’s.
He has vowed to return some of the powers to parliament that were eroded under Musharraf and said it would be up to legislators to decide whether to grant Musharraf indemnity from any criminal acts committed in office.
