LAHORE, April 3: The Iraq war is a wake-up call for the Arab and other Muslim countries that they should get united to achieve technological advancement to meet future challenges.

This was stated by Punjab University vice-chancellor Arshad Mahmood while speaking at a seminar on “Middle East crisis” organized by the Centre for Pakistan Studies (CPS) on the New Campus on Thursday.

He said it was not a war as there was no US-Iraq power parity but an unjustified US effort to occupy Iraq for its interests. The Iraq invasion was also aimed at creating its hegemony in the whole region besides containing China as well as other regional powers, he added.

The VC said the US had initiated its campaign against Iraq when it failed to achieve its interests through Israel. He welcomed the condemnation resolution adopted by the Senate in its session against the US-led invasion of Iraq.

Former vice-chancellor Prof Dr Rafiq Ahmad said the attack had exposed the double standards of the United States. It might occupy Baghdad but there would be no complete victory as Iraqis seemed to be determined to fight a long war, he added.

Prof Ahmad said the war would result in emergence of a multi-polar world. The war would affect Pakistan’s foreign trade and social welfare work as the country would have to maintain a higher defence budget.

Given the present situation, he emphasized the Pakistan government to increase its contacts with other countries and that should not be lop-sided.

Gen Rahat Latif (retired) said the US attack was for oil. Iraq President Saddam had proved himself as a great leader by uniting his nation in this period of crisis.

Gen Hakim Qureshi (retired), Brig Hamid Saeed Akhtar (retired), Brig Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry (retired), Dr Mugheesuddin Sheikh and CPS director Dr Sadiq Ali Gill also spoke on the occasion.