Pakistan still military society at heart with strong Islamist streak: Former Australia PM

New Delhi, Oct 17 (IANS) Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Friday said that Islamabad at heart remains a "military society" with a "strong Islamist streak" while India is totally different.

Participating in the NDTV World Summit in New Delhi on Friday, Abbott took an aim at Pakistan for supporting terrorism and recalled how the Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden was found in Abbottabad.

When asked about the statements made by top US Generals about working closely with Pakistan on terrorism, Abbott responded, "Look, Pakistan cooperated so closely with the United States on terrorism that they gave Osama bin Laden a home for the best part of a decade. So, look we can't be under any illusions. There are good people in Pakistan and there are people in Pakistan who you'd want to work with, but it is still at heart a military society with a strong Islamist streak. India is totally different, totally different, and I'm not saying that America should not work where it can with Pakistan. Of course it should, but it needs to know where its better friends are. I mean, when I was the Prime Minister, I thought that I would do my best to work constructively with everyone, but you've always got to know where your friends are and your friends are the ones where there's common interests, common values, and in particular, a common history and that's you've always got to realise that."

Abbot stressed that US' fundamental interests lie in a strong friendship with India compared to Pakistan. India's fundamental interests, he said, lie in a strong partnership with fellow democracies, much less than with dictatorships.

He described India as an emerging "democratic superpower" and stressed that 21st century would belong "as much to India, as it does to China." He said that India's Prime Minister is likely to be a leader of the free world in the next 40-50 years.

"China's leadership is party dictatorship and not personal dictatorship. As Prime Minister, I used to say that India will emerge as a democratic superpower. Well, now that has happened. The PM of India is likely to be a leader of a free world in the next 40-50 years," the former Australian PM said.

He also spoke about growing racial attacks against Indians in Australia. "There are two issues here. Is the immigration to Australia too high? We have had absolutely high record numbers throughout the year. Does immigration need to be scaled back? The other issue is crime. Melbourne has a crime problem. There are gangs which are out of control. The Victorian police are working on this. It is about time that the police once again take control of the streets."

Abbott said that, in these rather perilous times for the wider world, it is important that Australia and India cultivate their friendship, which is deep and continually growing stronger.

"I am a big admirer of Prime Minister Modi. I think he's been a transformative Prime Minister, and I think he's been a giant historical figure," the former Australian Prime Minister told IANS on the sidelines of the NDTV World Summit.

--IANS

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