Islamabad: Stepping up pressure on foreign militants, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf today (Feb 18, 2004) asked them to leave the country or surrender and pledged not to allow them to carry out their activities against any other country.

"Foreign militants should leave Pakistan and go to their respective countries or surrender," said the General, apparently referring to al-Qaeda while addressing a gathering of religious scholars in Islamabad.

The Government would not hand over the surrendered militants to any other country if they laid down their weapons and hand themselves over to Pakistan Army, he said, "failing which they will be dealt with full force".

"No foreigner should stay in Pakistan illegally," Musharraf said, adding that most of the foreigners arrested or killed in operation in tribal areas bordering Afghanistan belonged to Uzbekistan.

"We will not allow them to act against any other country. I assure those who surrender, will not be given to any other country... we will deal with the foreign militants in accordance with our laws," he said.