KARACHI, July 24: The visiting six-member Saudi media delegation rejected Western allegation that "Saudi Arabia and Pakistan were involved in terrorism," and said, rather, the two countries were actively combating the menace.

The media men were expressing their views during an interactive discussion at the Pakistan Institute of International Affairs here on Saturday.

The delegation comprised Sulaiman Abdul Aziz Uqaili (Al Watan), Jameel Dhayabi (Al Hayat), Ahmed Hussain Hashim (Al Madina), Muhammad Al Ameer (Al Riyadh), Meerza Khawailji (Ashraq Al Awsat) and senior columnist Muhammad Mukhtar Al Faal.

Leader of the delegation Mr Uqaili said that Saudi Arabia had played its due role in world affairs despite constraints in the post-9/11 situation.

"We are cooperating with the US in combating international terrorism," he said.

He said that the 9/11 event was a big tragedy but it was all the more disturbing that Saudi Arabia, after the incident, was unfairly being projected as a country promoting terrorism, just because 25 of those found involved in the act of terrorism happened to be Saudi nationals.

The West's allegation, he said, was baseless just like those levelled against Pakistan.

He believed that Saudi Arabia was being targeted because of its being a strong economic power whereas Pakistan was being bullied because of its being a political and military force which could play a significant role in matters concerning the Muslim world.

Mr Uqaili maintained that simply on the basis of a few people having been involved in terrorism, the whole education system in Saudi Arabia could not be accused of producing terrorists. "In every society, there are some extremists and radicals, but the whole society cannot be branded radical or pro-terrorism because of them."

He pointed out that Saudi people themselves felt that their education system needed reforms. The syllabus, he added, was constantly being revised over the past 25 years.

About West's demand for 'democratizing' the countries rulers of which were mostly installed by them, the delegation members said that a 'quiet move' had already been there even before the 9/11 tragedy. "However, democratization does not mean that every country must follow a particular system of governance... every country has its own pre-requisite, and the system of democratic governance must reflect that," said Mr Uqaili.

Members of the delegation were of the view that a change should not be only for the sake of change. But, it should reflect aspirations of people. They said they would like to see the region free of terrorism.

They also wanted to know that why could not the economic relations between the two countries could not progress to a much higher level, for which there was a potential; how did Pakistan look at the Indo-Israeli axis; why were the places of worship in Pakistan came under attacks; and what was the impact of the ongoing operations in Wana. The delegation was also keen to know about the rise of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal.

The Saudi mediamen were informed that bilateral trade could not get a boost because of the peculiar nature and level of the two economies and their lack of interest in taking conscious steps for diversifying the bilateral trade which appeared dependent mainly on oil imports by Pakistan.

They were also informed that attacks on places of worship in Pakistan was the manifestation of the polarization in the society in the wake of the Afghan civil war and socio-economic and political disparities within Pakistan.

It was also suggested that perhaps this was also a reflection of the proxy war between Iran and the Saudi Arabia.

As for the rise of MMA and operation in Wana, they were informed that partly the rise of the radicalism in Muslims was due to the anti-American unilateralism as well as attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq.

About Wana operation, the Saudi delegation was informed that it would definitely have an unsettling effect on the tribal society, but there was a need to wipe out terrorists who had infiltrated into the area.

It was emphasised that the OIC should do soul-searching and the Muslim countries must make maximum use of resources to their mutual advantage.

When asked to comment on the state of media in Saudi Arabia, the team claimed that the press was playing an active role for the uplift of society. They were of the view that the criticism on the part of the press in Saudi Arabia was aimed at reformation of society.

Replying to a question, he said women in Saudi Arabia enjoyed all due rights. "As there is no concept of 'right to vote' in the country, the question of the right for men or women simply does not arise," he added.

PIIA Chairman Fatehyab Ali Khan, called for Arabs' role for the just resolution of Palestine and Kashmir issues.