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ISLAMABAD, Jan 13 (AFP) - Pakistani newspapers Sunday praised President Pervez Musharraf's address to the nation for cracking down on domestic terrorism while refusing to bow to demands by neighbour India.

In his speech on Saturday night Musharraf banned two extremist organisations blamed by India for a deadly attack on its Parliament on December 13, which led to a new stand-off between the nuclear rivals and the massing of troops on their common border.

But Musharraf also said any aggression from India would be met with "full force" and Pakistan's policy of supporting self-determination for divided Kashmir remained unchanged. He refused Indian demands to hand over Pakistani citizens on a "20 most wanted" list of alleged terrorists.

The Nation newspaper said Musharraf had "drawn the line in the sand: this far but no further".

It said his warning that Pakistan would defend itself from any aggression was "dignified and firm without being hawkish".

"His reaction to the international pressure on Pakistan also showed backbone: instead of sounding defensive, he turned tables by asking the international community to play its role in bringing India to the negotiation table."

"This was the speech that was supposed to avert the threat of war. That it probably has not done in the sense of satisfying unending Indian demands."

The international community had to realise that Musharraf could not go any further than he has now done.

In terms of relations with India, Pakistanis could hope for the best "but they must prepare for the worst".

The News said Musharraf showed he meant business in eliminating terrorists but he also wanted an end to the "Indian blackmail."

The newspapers praised Musharraf's actions to crack down on internal extremism, which included a ban on another three extremist religious groups and the placing of controls on religious schools.

The News said Musharraf's "long awaited, bold and straight talk to the Pakistani nation, and the world, has taken the bull of religious extremism and fundamentalism by its horns".

Pakistan would no longer tolerate violence or harbour terrorism in the name of religion.

"He minced no words in making it clear that Pakistand had too long been exploited in the name of Islam.

His words should satisfy those who had who had been looking at Pakistan with suspicion for nurturing and harbouring terrorism.

"The West, particularly the United states, would be more than happy with the strong position General Musharraf has taken."

The Nation said his vision for the future of Pakistan as a modern tolerant Muslim state would find an "almost total consensus amongst its people".

However, it said Musharraf, who took power in a coup as armed forces chief in 1999, should recognise that much of the intolerance and polarisation of Pakistan's society had been due to prolonged periods of military rule. 

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