ISLAMABAD, 22 March 2003 — US President George Bush yesterday lauded Pakistan’s cooperation in the fight against global terrorism in a message of best wishes to President Pervez Musharraf on the eve of the country’s National Day.
“The United States greatly values its relationship with Pakistan and is committed to working with you to build on the achievements of the past,” Bush said, according to a Foreign Ministry statement. “The dramatic success that our cooperation has achieved against international terrorists is a record of which we can be proud.
“We look forward to continuing these efforts, as we broaden and deepen our reinvigorated relationship.”
Pakistan has arrested and handed over around 480 suspected Al-Qaeda and Taleban fugitives to US authorities since the ouster of the Taleban regime in neighboring Afghanistan in November 2001 after a US-led military campaign.
Among them were three top lieutenant of Al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, a suspected mastermind of Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in United States.
