‘West has to come out of Islamophobia’

By Shafqat Ali

Islamabad

Sept. 26: Pakistan Pr-ime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has said the West should come out of "Islamopho-bia" as it might result in a clash between the West and the Islamic world.

Addressing an iftar dinner that he hosted for the envoys of Islamic countries here on Thursday night, the Prime Minister also rejected the so-called "Islamic terrorism".

"Terrorism has no faith. We need to ensure that the fight against terrorism does not turn into a clash between the West and the Islamic world," he said.

Mr Gilani said in the recent past, Islam has come under increasing attacks in the Western world resulting in rising incidents of "Islamophobia". "This is mainly due to a handful of our misguided believers who have made our religion the target of our detractors," he added. Pakistan, he said, is hardest hit by terrorism and has been playing the most active role in the international campaign against this menace. "We are fighting this evil because we believe that this is in the interest of Pakistan," the Prime Minister said.

He said Pakistan lost Benazir Bhutto in this struggle but remains undeterred in its resolve to root out terrorism from society.

"Our message to terrorists is clear and unequivocal. We would not allow our territory to be used by terrorists and that we would not be daunted by threats of terrorism," he added.

Mr Gilani called for a concerted action by the Muslim world for formulation of a comprehensive strategy to counter terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

It is vital to address the root causes of terrorism, such as injustice, desperation, sense of humiliation and helplessness, economic and political deprivation, in order to eradicate this evil completely, he said.

He said Pakistan attaches paramount importance to its relations with the Islamic world, which are the cornerstone of its foreign policy.

He said Pakistan enjoys very cordial and warm relations with the entire Islamic world.