LONDON, Oct 19: Muslim parliamentarians on Friday appreciated President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s bold stand in backing the international community’s campaign to eliminate terrorism.

“We applaud particularly the courageous stand taken by President Musharraf,” said a statement issued by British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) here on Friday following meeting of Muslim members of Parliament and House of Lords with British Prime Minister Tony Blair on late Wednesday.

Five members of Parliament and House of Lords include Khalid Mehmood MP, Mohammad Sarwar MP, Lord Nazir Ahmed, Lord Patel of Blackburn and Baroness Uddin.

Muslim parliamentarians met British prime minister Tony Blair on late Wednesday on desire of Blair himself.

FCO statement also carried quotes from a statement made by President Musharraf prior to military action and quoted him as saying, “We tried to bring moderation into the Taliban government. We made all possible efforts to extradite Osama bin Laden... but unfortunately... we could not achieve what we were trying... and therefore the action which started last night.

The MPs and members of the House of Lords, according to FCO statement said, “Our stand against the evil of terrorism has been backed by the whole of the civilized world - including political and spiritual leaders of Arab and Islamic nations. We note, in particular, the public condemnation of this terrorism by the Grand Imam of the Al Azhar Mosque, Sheikh Tantawi.”

“But even if no British citizens were killed, even if no Muslims had been killed, we should still have taken the same view of the atrocities, for they were an attack on the whole of humanity, of which we are an indivisible part”.

The OIC last week rightly expressed their outrage at the atrocities. “Osama bin Laden and his followers do not speak for Muslims here or abroad. Their message of hate and destruction offends every principle we hold so dear and the chilling statement issued recently warning Muslims to keep away from aeroplanes and tall buildings is a sure sign of their culpability and their evil intent,” said their statement.—APP