"There is a security requirement which is separate and there is the earthquake requirement which is totally separate," Musharraf said. "We don't want to do one and jeopardise the other. This would be most unwise."
OUR CORRESPONDENT ADDS: The President said the government has the resources to complete the rehabilitation and reconstruction without disturbing budgetary allocations. He said no additional taxes would be imposed to meet the financial requirements of reconstruction.
He said the government has decided to launch the national volunteer movement (NVM) to galvanise and involve the nation, especially youths, in the rehabilitation of earthquake victims and reconstruction of houses, schools, hospitals and other infrastructure in devastated areas.
Addressing senior editors, columnists and journalists from all over the country at his Rawalpindi camp office, President Musharraf said the best of the nation was visible during this catastrophe when it exhibited unprecedented unity, spirit of sacrifice, and contributed for relief of survivors.
"The government wants to put the nation's euphoria in concrete action and utilise services of young doctors, engineers, technicians and everyone above the age of 18 for this national and humanitarian cause and desirous people should register themselves with the government," he said.
The President said army will work as administrative base of NVM while the minister of state for youth affairs will act as its CEO so that army personnel and volunteers could work together in this gigantic task in an organised, disciplined and productive manner.
He said presently 3 army divisions comprising 12 brigades, 40 battalions, 100 companies (around 70,000 to 80,000 officers and soldiers), 125 helicopters of Pakistan army and other friendly countries, NGOs and civil society organisations are working round the clock to provide relief to the people in affected areas.
About 25 more heavy lift helicopters of the United States and other countries will be joining this fleet in a couple of days to beef up logistics.
He said news reports of some cynics notwithstanding, all these people have done a splendid job, especially the army did a better job than any army in the world, and added: "Our success far exceeds than failings."
He said so far the government has provided 228,000 winterised tents to the homeless and by the end of November all shelterless population would be provided 500,000 tents for which foolproof arrangements had been made.
"Forward bases have been set up in Mansehra, Balakot, Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot and Bagh to stock relief goods for onward delivery to people in the Neelum, Lipa and Jhelum valleys and other hilly Northern Areas.
He said: "Despite shortcomings, I am confident to meet the challenge, the nation is motivated, armed forces, government building departments, NGOs, people of Pakistan, international community and the United Nations organisations are doing excellent job in rescuing and providing relief to affected and marooned people in far-flung and difficult hilly areas," and added, "up till now we have been able to provide relief to nearly 95 percent people, only 5 percent remain with whom we will be in contact soon."
The President said after identifying the problem, we have prepared the strategy for rehabilitation of calamity-hit population and reconstruction of the infrastructure and now we are in the process of mobilising resources for implementation.
"I will address a conference of bilateral and multinational donors and financial institutions on November 19 in Islamabad in which the government will present reconstruction plan and its estimated cost," he added. UN secretary-general Kofi Annan will also attend the conference.
The President thanked humanitarian international community for providing timely help to earthquake-affected people and asked the people of Pakistan.
He thanked Nato for building air bridge for transportation of 1000 tons of relief goods from Europe to Islamabad in addition to sending an engineers battalion for rehabilitation of infrastructure.
The President also thanked the United Nations, the United States, China, Saudi Arabia, Iran, UAE and all other friendly countries who made prompt contributions in cash and kind for rescue and relief operations and mitigated some of the untold miseries of affected people.
In Q&A, the President said he was ready to meet all opposition leaders to discuss national issues, however, PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto and PML-N leader Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif will not be allowed to come to Pakistan.
He said it was the Prime Minister and the cabinet, who were in overall charge of the reconstruction work. The Federal Relief Commission and the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority are directly answerable to the Prime Minister and the cabinet.
"Though heads of these two bodies are army generals, yet the fact is that it is for the first time the entire army was working under the control of the Prime Minister and the civilian government," he clarified.
DELHI BLASTS: Musharraf has condoled with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the loss of precious lives in terrorist attacks in New Delhi on Saturday (October 29) and condemned the heinous crime against humanity in strongest words.
The President offered India to hold a joint investigation into this cowardly act and said Pakistan was ready to provide all co-operation to nab culprits.
The President reiterated his proposal that both Pakistan and India should demilitarise Kashmir for the sake of peace in the region and bring to an end misery of Kashmiris.
He said despite some confidence-building measures (CBMs), doubts and misunderstanding remain in the minds of Pakistani and Indian governments, which could not be removed in a short time.
He said as India would never allow Pakistani pilots to fly helicopters in their occupied part of Kashmir, likewise Pakistan could not do the same in Azad Kashmir, even under pretensions of humanitarian assistance.