President Pervez Musharraf [Images] on Thursday sought to defend imposition of emergency in Pakistan, saying that foreign militants based in the country were planning terrorist strikes all over the world.

"Foreigners are sitting in Pakistan and are planning terrorism all over the world," Musharraf said in an interactive programme telecast on state-run PTV.

"We have caught people who had maps of European countries and targets there. They (the West) are asking us to eliminate these people," Musharraf said.

"We are also concerned because these people are also carrying out suicide bombings inside Pakistan."
He said he has cracked down on groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed which used to openly hold rallies in the country, brandishing arms.

"Sometime ago the Jaish-e-Mohammed would openly hold rallies in Karachi and Bahawalpur with scores of their men welding Kalashnikovs. People were afraid to walk in front of the homes of some of their leaders as men with Kalashnikovs would be standing outside. Is this a joke? Is this a country or a military camp?"

"Now all this has stopped. If you see any more of these men, tell us and we will catch them," he said.