ISLAMABAD, Sept 14: Former Malaysian prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad urged the 1.3 billion strong Muslim Ummah to end their internal differences and forge unity among themselves to become a unified global force.

While speaking at a press conference alongside PTI Chairman Imran Khan, he said that conducive political stability of a country played an important part in its development and progress.

He lauded the manpower resources of Pakistan and said the only thing Pakistan lacked was political stability, after which economic stability would automatically follow, increasing the flow of investments and solving the problem of unemployment.

He said Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) gave us one religion, which the Muslims divided into multiple sects and groups. He urged the Muslims to follow the precepts of the Holy Quran for better guidance.

Replying to a question about suicide bombings, he strongly condemned the derogatory practice and various elements linking it with the tenets of Islam.

He also condemned the elements that lauded suicide bombings and urged the analysts to mull over the factor which had given rise to such a derogatory trend. Dr Mahathir said suicide bombers were desperate elements, pushed in a tight corner, who were being taken advantage of by unscrupulous elements.

He said in order to achieve progress, factors like Islam, socialism, Christianity, (religion factor) should be eschewed and one should concentrate on factors necessary and conducive for progress and development of the country.

Referring to the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), he expressed his dismay that only 50 countries represented the Ummah having diversified cultural outlook. He advocated setting up small groups of 5-10 countries having a mutual consensus.

Dr Mahathir cited the Malaysian success factor, where public and private sectors worked in unison, similar to Japan, Taiwan, Korea and China, achieving maximum of conducive acts.—Online