President Pervez Musharraf revealed on Thursday that junior army and air force officers were involved in attempts to kill him last December and would soon go on trial, but that the mastermind remains at large.
"There are some people at junior level, people in uniform, air force and army," who have been arrested in connection with the December attacks, General Musharraf told local Television.
The mastermind of the attack was Pakistani, Musharraf said.
"That man is still at large. We will get him... we know exactly who he is," he said, refusing to name the suspected mastermind.
"He's a Pakistani, he's very much a Pakistani, he's very clever, but we'll get him."
Dozens of people were involved in the two plots, he said.
"The operatives who undertook all this, by the dozens I would say... We have got them."
More than two dozen suspects had been arrested over the two attempts, an intelligence official said.
Half of them were low-ranking military officials.
President Musharraf also quietly transferred one his top generals in the powerful Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) after the second blast. The military officers detained over the plots will soon be put on trial.
"It will be under a military court and the whole nation will see it," President Musharraf said, without giving a date.
Attackers were motivated by religion and money, he added.
"Some are not even religious motivation, some are for money."
The President said he was "200 percent sure" that no senior officers were involved in the plots.
The President said vast majority of Pakistanis rejected religious extremism and sectarianism and said the people and the parliamentarians need to get vocal about their views.
He said the national and provincial assemblies need to work against religious extremism and intolerance in the country.
He said most Pakistanis were moderate and rejected any form of extremism. He said he has talked with the parliamentarians who extended him full support on the matter.
Musharraf, however, regretted that this vast majority, both in the Parliament and the people, generally were not vocal about it.
He said parliamentarians need to speak about the issue in their constituencies.
He said he has the support of the people of Pakistan who will carry forward this mission to present a modern, tolerant and enlightened face of Pakistan.
He said Pakistan was a moderate country and said he has initiated a process to present an enlightened image of the country at home and abroad.
He said the ministry of religious affairs and the Council of Islamic Ideology will play a very active role to face these challenges.
He said enlightened, progressive and highly educated people with a high degree of understanding of Islam would be placed in the Council of Islamic Ideology.
Musharraf said a philosophy of moderation will filter down through the ministry of religious affairs to Deeni Madaris and mosques.
He said Pakistan has come a long way since he took over and said there has been improvement in all sectors. He said the biggest achievement was the economic revival that he initiated and termed it the root of all developments.
He said the local government was also part of the silent revolution, which brought about a positive change in the country.
When asked about return of Pakistan into the fold of Commonwealth, he said Pakistan was an important country and the organisation should be proud to have Pakistan.
He said Pakistan is a democratic country and fully meets the domestic requirements.
He said Pakistan does not have to meet the foreign-made standards to run its democratic set-up. He said some countries currently part of the Commonwealth need to examine their human rights record first before criticising Pakistan.
He said appointment of Maulana Fazlur Rehman as opposition leader was correct and was an act of the Parliament.
When asked when would he doff his uniform, he said, he will take decision in the interest of Pakistan. "When the time comes, we will decide. There is time and we will try to take a correct decision."
He said he will ensure that Pakistan continues to move on enlightened, dynamic, and progressive path and all his decisions will be in the interest of Pakistan.
About Wana operation, President Musharraf said such operations require that all steps are taken cautiously.
He said the sanctuary of terrorists was completely busted and they do not have any base any more.
He said they were in large number and had a sophisticated communication network.
He said that forthcoming budget would be oriented towards poverty alleviation and development. He said money would be allocated towards brick lining of the water courses and raising of Mangla Dam and would create lots of jobs. This, he said, will spur employment and alleviate poverty.
About Hudood laws, he said the issue needs to be debated openly. This would show the world that we are a progressive and enlightened state. He said debating the matter was perfectly Islamic as the religion has given the option of "Ijtehad".
India and Pakistan must show "boldness and courage" in finding solutions to their rivalry given that extremists on both sides opposed peace, he said.
Musharraf said new Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had been "extremely positive" about the process of dialogue and dispute resolution when the two leaders spoke by telephone at the weekend.
"He said he is an economist, and he believes in economy doing well for the people of the two countries," the President said, according to a transcript made available by local Television.
"I said I totally agree with you, that can only happen when we solve the political disputes, so I'm very reasonably sure that this process of initiation of dialogue won't be a problem."
However, Musharraf said finding solutions would be problematic for both countries, "Because there are extremists on both sides... who take extremist positions, maximalist positions.
"That's where boldness and courage is required, both sides should show that."
The interview, conducted on Wednesday, was to be broadcast in full on Thursday.
"If he is meaning that there will be no movement or a status quo decision, well I beg to totally differ with him," he said.
"...(But) if he means that we need to address this issue of Kashmir and solve it through dialogue, then yes we will follow the Shimla agreement."
Despite a personal rapport struck with Vajpayee, Musharraf said he was neither happy nor unhappy about the change of government in New Delhi, saying it was India's internal affair.
"(The) Only desire that one has that we had started a peace process and I hope and expect that this peace process keeps moving forward in the interest of the two countries."-Agencies
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