Islam and West heading for abyss: Gen

‘‘It is imperative that the entire international community collectively addresses the dangers that tend to push human civilisation into the abyss of barbarism,’’ Musharraf told a conference of the OIC in Islamabad.

Musharraf, who twice escaped attempts on his life late last year, is a target of Islamic militants enraged by his support to the West. In May, at least 47 Pakistanis, most of them from the minority Shi’ites, and three Chinese were killed, and more than 200 people wounded, in seven incidents of car bombings, suicide attacks and ambush.

Musharraf warned the Muslims that they had to pull themselves out of a ‘‘pit’’ or Western perceptions that Islam was a religion promoting extremism would be perpetuated. ‘‘We need to infuse life into this body. OIC needs to be restructured, reformed and energised to meet the challenges of the 21st century,’’ he said.

Musharraf called on the West, particularly the US, to quickly resolve political disputes confronting Muslims, to remove perceptions in the Islamic world that the West was bent upon subjugating them. ‘‘Most of those living under foreign occupation, be it Palestine, Kashmir or Iraq, are Muslims,’’ he said.

He warned that the world was headed the wrong way.

‘‘The emerging political contours do not kindle any hope for enhancing the international cooperation for peace and prosperity, for the rule of law and justice, for combating poverty and social evils, or for pursuing the path of accommodation and moderation. The world seems to be heading towards a dreadful quagmire where humanity does not belong,’’ he said.

But he said his two-pronged strategy of ‘‘enlightened moderation’’ may provide a solution, under which he implores Muslims to work on their social, moral and economic development and to shun extremism and militancy. —(Reuters)