World | Pakistan
Musharraf calls for steps to rein in sectarian strife
Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf yesterday called for collective efforts to rein in the evil of sectarian turmoil within the Islamic world.
- By Shahid Hussain, Correspondent
- Published: 00:00 December 28, 2006
Islamabad: Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf yesterday called for collective efforts to rein in the evil of sectarian turmoil within the Islamic world.
Addressing a gathering of scholars and intellectuals from Muslim countries and members of Pakistani parliament here, he warned that sectarian strife, if not resolved quickly, could engulf the entire Muslim world with serious consequences.
Musharraf underlined the need to restructure the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) into an effective body in order to deal with challenges confronting the Muslim world.
The president said a department of Islamic thought or renaissance should be created to project Islam's true values of peace, tolerance and harmony.
He said Islam was not in conflict with democracy and modernisation, but stressed that a differentiation had to be made between westernisation and modernisation.
Musharraf said extremist and obscurantist elements in Muslim countries were reinforcing misconceptions about the great religion of Islam.
He underscored the need for the Islamic countries to foster unity, seek scientific and technological advancement and have greater interaction with the world to resolve political disputes.
The president said the strategy of enlightened moderation advocated by him offered a way forward.
The two-pronged strategy urges the Muslim world to reject extremism and terrorism and concentrate on social-economic development, while calling upon the West to help resolve political disputes affecting Muslims in a just and dignified manner.
Vowing to transform Pakistan into a modern, progressive Islamic welfare state, he said that the country could play a pivotal role towards Islamic renaissance.
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