KARACHI, Dec 21: The disputes confronting the Muslim Ummah, such as the Jammu and Kashmir issue, must be resolved for regional and international peace, said Senior Adviser to President on Foreign Affairs, Law and Human Rights Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada on Friday.

He was speaking as the chief guest at the concluding session of a seminar on ‘ Terrorism — A New Challenge to the World of Islam’, organized by the Jang Group in a hotel here on Friday.

He informed the participants of the seminar about the Indian decision to recall its high commissioner from Pakistan. He said bus and rail services between the two countries would also come to a halt from January 2002.

He said both countries badly needed to continue dialogue for solving half-a-century-old problem so that a question like severing of diplomatic ties did not arise.

He emphasised the need for reactivating the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), strengthening solidarity between the Muslim countries, formation of an effective banking system so that a united front be established for facing challenges which emerged from the Sept 11 terrorist attacks in the United States.

Tracing the roots of terrorism, he said the phenomenon was very old and universal, spreading from Northern Ireland, Latin America, Africa, the Soviet Union, Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan.

Referring to general atmosphere after the September 11 incidents which he termed as “serious”, Pirzada said there were attempts to first perpetrate terrorism and then put all the blame on Muslims.

Earlier, Syrian Ambassador Badi Khattab in his speech said Israeli terrorism was the centre piece of Syrian foreign policy. He said the USA had always prevented denouncement of Israeli atrocities in Lebanon and Occupied Jerusalem which he termed a “double standard”.

He said in 1952 Syria had promulgated laws against terrorism.

He however emphasised that distinction must be made between terrorism and legitimate right of people against occupation of their land or foreign aggression.

“Israel targets civilian population, destroys home and hearths, wells and kill officials of Palestinian authority, is this not terrorism?” he said, adding that the USA never denounced such incidents of violence. “This is hypocrisy par excellence.”

The seminar later adopted a declaration called “Karachi Declaration” urging a proactive role by the OIC like that of the European Union.

OPEN DIALOGUE: Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Dr Mahmud Ahmed Ghazi underlined the need to initiate an “open and equal” dialogue between the Muslims and the West to jointly curb terrorism in the world.