ISLAMABAD, March 27: President Pervez Musharraf has stated that Islam is compatible with modernity as modernization means access to good education, civic government, development, justice and democracy.

In an interview with the beliefnet.com website, he said Muslims did not have to become westernized in order to become modernized.

“We have our own culture; we have our own history. We are proud of that. We must be modern; we must have modernity, which means civic government, a good system of administration, justice, good education, democracy.

“All these features are characteristic of modernization, and that we can have as Muslims,” he remarked.

He said the counter-terror drive was in the country’s interest.

“I am a victim of assassination attempts, but I believe in what I am doing because I am doing it for Pakistan,” he said.

Speaking about Pakistan’s pivotal role in Islamic renaissance, he said: “We are the leaders of the Muslim world -– we are the only nuclear power. We have a population of 160 million. Our geo-political situation makes us absolutely vital to understanding the Muslim world.”

On madressah reforms, the president said the country was in the process of introducing subjects other than religion so that the students at religious institutions could also study subjects like geography, history and even computer training.

“All madressahs are not violent or extremist,” he said.

He pointed out that if all the madressahs in the country were closed, there would be one million kids out on the streets.

“So what I am doing is by persuasion, by discussion, bringing them into the mainstream, helping them to raise their standards and become absorbed in the mainstream,” President Musharraf said.

He said his efforts are aimed at bringing the nation more in line with the vision of the Quaid-i-Azam, who believed in a modern, democratic society.—APP