Pakistan: UK harbouring 'looters'

General Musharraf has pledged to clean up Pakistan

Pakistan's military ruler, General Pervez Musharraf, has accused Britain of sheltering people alleged to have stolen billions of dollars from his country.

In an interview with the BBC's Today programme, General Musharraf said 14 names had been passed to the UK Government in London but there had been no response.

These are the people who have looted and plundered this poor country

General Musharraf

They were among about 30 to 40 people he believed had fled Pakistan for the UK.

Soon after he seized power last October, General Musharraf promised to tackle corruption and set up a special anti-corruption task force.

The general said he was disappointed with the lack of response from the UK Home Office.

"These are the people who have looted and plundered this poor country," he said.

"We thought we would get some assistance in getting them back or at least getting information on them.

"I am afraid the Home Office was not forthcoming, he added.

In contrast, General Musharraf said the administrations of the United States and Switzerland had been more co-operative.

This somewhat hostile attitude to whatever is happening here comes from officials there

General Musharraf

The US Government had sent a senior officer to advise Pakistan on the possibility of repatriating people from America, the general said.

Some of those named are said to be associated with two former prime ministers in Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, both of whom deny charges of corruption.

General Musharraf said Pakistan wanted Britain to repatriate those people accused of corruption.

He also sought assistance from the Home Office to help build their case.

"These are all white collar crimes which, I'm afraid, are difficult to get evidence of," he said.

'Ostracised'

The UK Foreign Office Minister, Peter Hain said that if the government received a proper international arrest warrant from the Pakistani authorities, it would act on it.

Britain has been a strong critic

But the general said he was unable to approach senior British leaders, including Prime Minister Tony Blair, because of their consistent criticism of his regime.

The existing environment, he said, did not give him room to raise issues such as corruption.

It was very clear, he added, that Pakistan was ostracised internationally.

Britain has been the military administration's strongest critic, he said, and it was up to the British to improve matters.

"The ball is in Britain's court," General Musharraf said.

"This somewhat hostile attitude to whatever is happening here [Pakistan] comes from officials there and is not really initiated from here," he added.