Pak paying heavily for its mistakes in the 1970s: Blair

New Delhi, Sep 29 (PTI) Pakistan is "paying heavily" for
its mistakes in the 1970s when it started mixing religion with
politics and promoted extremism, former British Prime Minister
Tony Blair has said.
"I think Pakistan is paying a heavy price for the
mistakes of 1970s by linking religion with politics and
developing religious schools which are, in some cases,
dangerous sources of extremism," Blair told CNN-IBN.
The former British Prime Minister was responding to
queries relating to the role of ISI in spreading terrorism and
its links with the Haqqani group in Afghanistan.
When asked if the US, after eliminating Osama bin laden,
should also go after the Haqqani faction, Blair said it was
something which the Americans have to decide.
"The trouble with these groups is that there is no way
to use them wisely. On these issues like Pakistan might have
to say about its influence in Afghanistan vis-a-vis India's
influence there, there will be nothing good out of supporting
these groups," he said.
"If ISI is engaged in such activities, in the end it
will not merely affect US, UK, Afghanistan or India, it
poisons the atmosphere in Pakistan also," Blair said.
The former British Prime Minister said that if there was
any linkage between the ISI and terror groups such as the
Haqqani group and the Lashkar-e-Toiba, "it is a mistake."
Blair said there was a need to engage "modern and
open-minded" Pakistanis who are involved in a struggle against
the extremists.
"We have to see how we can engage elements in Pakistan
who believe that this was a mistake. The best way is to allow
Pakistan to change and evolve and there are a lot of decent
people in Pakistan," he said.
Blair said that Pakistan itself has suffered a lot due
to terrorism as thousands of people have been killed. There
was a "struggle going on in the country between those with
modern and open-minded attitude towards future against those
who are in the power struggle and will play dangerously," he
said.
He also termed as "absurd" allegations against him for
using his contacts in the Middle East for gaining personal
benefits.
On the recent riots in London, Blair said that they were
caused by a very small section of the people and the majority
had come out later to clean up the city after violence ended.
He said there were multiple reasons behind them,
including "a section of society, which is small in number and
are from dysfunctional background."
"The other reason was criminality, where people saw
opportunity and started looting," he said.