Islamabad: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has stressed that extremism cannot be eliminated as long as economic inequalities continue to threaten national, regional and global peace.

Speaking at the 13th General Assembly meeting of Organisation of Islamic Conference's (OIC) Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) here yesterday, Musharraf said, "The best way to counter extremism is to reduce socio-economic disparities around the world."

He also urged the Muslim world to optimise its potential and to collectively focus energies to avert the looming crises in energy, water and food sectors.

The Muslim world faces the threat of being marginalised and should show collective resolve to take the Muslim Ummah forward and realise its true potential by sharing and cooperating with each other, the Associated Press of Pakistan quoted him as saying.

He also urged initiation of a dialogue with the United Nations and other forums to address the existing gap between the West and the Muslim world in the energy, food and water sectors while also removing the former's misperceptions about the latter.

About the relationship between the two, he said, It has to be built on a dialogue and understanding which could effectively deal with the threat to world peace.

Source : UNI