Disparities brew terror, extremism: President
By Our Special Correspondent

ISLAMABAD—President Pervez Musharraf has said that equal distribution of economic resources is vital for eradicating terrorism and extremism. In his inaugural speech at the 13th COMSTECH Assembly in Islamabad Musharraf called for end of discriminatory distribution of economic resources in the world to eliminate eradicate and the sense of deprivation.
He said extremism couldn’t be eradicated as long as economic inequality exists. The President also stressed need for dialogue between the Muslim world and the west. He said the Muslim world must initiate dialogue with the West to clear current misperceptions. Speaking on economic issues President Musharraf said the world’s Muslim population stands at about 19 % but Muslim states contribute less than 9 percent economically. . . He added that the technology gap between the east and the west was widening. He called for respect to all faiths and beliefs. He advised the Muslim nations to boost collective efforts for optimum utilization of their resources, so that development could become possible. President Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday underlining that Muslim Ummah is facing serious challenges said that removing sense of deprivation and economic disparity are the keys to elimination of terrorism.
President Pervez Musharraf expressed these views while addressing 13th COMSTECH General Assembly Islamic Conference Organisation here in Convention Centre on Tuesday. President was of the view that today Muslim Ummah is gripped in multiple challenges but making it clear that as long as we don’t’ get united, solution to all problems facing Muslim Ummah is rather impossible.
He said that progress of nation lies in Science and technology, as they are the major fields. President said that all developing nations in the world progress with Science and technology. He said that a sense of deprivation lies in Muslim Ummah due to mounting challenges and West has a clear edge on us due to it. We must respect all religions, President pointed. President congratulated OIC on approval of new manifesto. President stressed that OIC must devise a long term strategy for its 22 Member countries. He said that we must accept the fact which is hard to swallow that Poverty is the major concern faced by Muslim Countries and we need to remove economic disparity. He clear-cut differentiated between Islamic Countries and West emphasising that West is moving rapidly in all the fields thus developing with each day passing but on the other hand Islamic Countries are plunged into problems.
He said that in order to compete in Science and Technology, Education and other fields Government is taking gigantic efforts thus additional grant of 4.5 million will be released to up the tempo in this regard. President further added that World’s three largest and renowned Universities from Germany, Australia and China respectively will start their work in Pakistan in the month of June-July while next year he hoped that Pakistan-Italy and Pakistan-France joint Universities will also start their work. President Pervez Musharraf Tuesday urged the Muslim world to optimise its potential and to collectively focus energies to avert the looming crises in energy, water and food sectors.Inaugurating the 13th General Assembly meeting of OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) President Musharraf said the Muslim world faces the threat of being marginalised.