Pakistan addressing extremism prudently: Musharraf speaks to scientists, scholars
RAWALPINDI, Aug 10: President Pervez Musharraf has said that Pakistan is committed to rooting out extremism through a prudent approach in accordance with the country’s ground realities and sought academicians’ support in addressing the issue.
“We are not dragging our feet, nor we lack in determination to deal with the complex problem which has to be handled with care — it has to be addressed in its long-term perspective and not through use of force,” the president said in a wide-ranging interaction with eminent educationists, scientists and researchers here on Wednesday.
Pakistan, he said, was moving in a clearly defined direction to get rid of extremism and also confronting terrorism with force, and added that these were the repercussions of 26 years long unrest, militancy and strife in Afghanistan and the region.
The president vowed to continue the country’s efforts for a societal change and described promotion of education at all levels as one of the means to achieve the objective.
“The academics should support our endeavours by educating young minds with enlightened teachings of Islam which call for tolerance and peace.
“The fight against extremism requires changing mindsets — if our teachers lead by example, it would be greatly helpful in effecting a change for the better,” he said.
Identifying illiteracy and poverty as the underlying causes of extremism and terrorism, the president said the international community had to tackle these issues collectively in a comprehensive manner.
“In Pakistan, we are focused on passing on the benefits of economic gains to people at the grass roots level to provide more jobs to our people — we are also striving for universalizing education across the country as part of our holistic approach to human resource development.”
The president stated that the government was endeavouring to streamline madressah education system.
“We will encourage introduction of modern subjects in madressahs and also award scholarships to their students so that students could acquire professional skills and enter the mainstream of national life.”
About higher education scenario, the president observed that acquiring advancement in science and technology was the way forward for Pakistan’s fast-paced progress.
“No doubt, agriculture is currently the mainstay of our economy — but we are in the process of shifting our focus to industrial development, which accounts for 61 per cent of the world trade, while textiles make up just six per cent of it,” he pointed out.
Gen Musharraf said the government wanted the centres of excellence to produce high calibre professionals who could propel Pakistan to rapid industrial development.
“The academics have to act as agents of change and produce skilled manpower commensurate with demands of the market – our objective is to turn industrial base into our real strength,” he added.—APP
