June 19, 2007	Tuesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 03, 1428

ISLAMABAD June 18: Chairman of Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee Mushahid Hussain Sayed has said that extremism and terrorism took roots during the Afghan jihad. Talking to a British delegation that had called at the Parliament House, Mr Sayed discussed strategies to combat extremism.

Senator Mushahid Hussain said Pakistan was playing a pivotal role in containing and combating extremism and terrorism.

Tracing the history of these phenomena, he said the US-backed Afghan jihad against the Soviets had left a legacy where extremism and terrorism flourished and Pakistan was left to fend on its own to counter this universal threat.

Mr Hussain urged the need for strengthening capacity and improving coordination among governments of various countries as well as departments of these governments so that this process could achieve better results.

He also said there should be a reduction in the growing sense of victimisation among Muslim’s, which was a major cause of resentment and anger among Muslim societies. He gave an example of Monday’s debate in the National Assembly regarding the award of knighthood by the British Government to Salman Rushdie.

He stressed the need to focus on the youth, which were now the dominant section of populations of most Muslim countries.

The British delegation thanked the senator for providing views and suggestions on improving coordination between Pakistan and th UK to counter and combat extremism and terrorism.—Staff Reporter