Talibanisation, unrest in Pak will affect India: Zardari

New Delhi, Jan 10: PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari today cautioned that any ''Talibanisation, Balkanisation or warlord- like situation'' in Pakistan will directly affect India even as he stressed that his country's ''survival'' lay in friendship with New Delhi. He also said fundamentalist and jehadi elements in Pakistan posed the gravest danger to his country and called upon India to play a greater role in South Asia.

Mr Zardari, husband of assassinated Pakistan People's Party chief Benazir Bhutto, said his party wanted to build a friendlier relationship with India.'' Therein lies the survival of Pakistan.'' ''India, being the bigger power in the region, carries a larger responsibility as any Talibanisation, any Balkanisation, any warlord-like situation in Pakistan will directly affect India,'' he said in a candid interview to a web portal.

Speaking about Benazir Bhutto's legacy, he said the first challenge before the PPP was to win elections. ''We are telling the workers not to allow rigging and get their democratic rights and victory in Benazir's memory,'' Mr Zardari also hinted at a complete lack of communication Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf following his wife's assassination.

He described the influence of fundamentalist and jehadi elements in Pakistan as ''one of the gravest dangers'' in front of the country.

''We have been on the faultline of the world. With terrorism becoming the war of the future, time and people have managed to bring the war to our borders'' He urged the US to help Pakistan get a fine democracy so that ''we can be equal and helpful partners in the world community''.

UNI