Kathmandu: Pakistan’s Ambassador to Nepal, Zameer Akram has expressed his concern over the “growing clash in between the West and the Islamic world specially after the events of 9/11.

“There has been a tendency to blame the Muslims and see the Muslims through the prism of “terrorism”, is what Ambassador Akran said adding that “our view has been that such portrayals were being deliberately promoted.

Ambassador Akram made these observations at a program organised by the Pakistan embassy to mark the Kashmir Solidarity Day which falls on February 5th each year.

Muslim leaders, more specially Pak President Pervez Musarraf, have been appealing the West to understand the gravity of such allegations on the Muslims and the Islamic world.

Talking on the strategic position wherein Pakistan is located- South Asia in one flank and the central Asian countries on another edge, Ambassador Akram told that the energy deficit countries of South Asia can benefit from their expanded relations through Pakistan with the countries in Central Asia which is energy surplus.

According to Pakistani envoy, the twelfth SAARC Summit held in Islamabad was a tremendous success and that it was this Summit which facilitated India and Pakistan to come closer.

“Road ahead is difficult but yet the leaders of the two countries are meeting soon”, said Akram on the impending Indo-Pak bilateral talks which is slated for this month itself.

He, however, did not rule out the possibility of a third party pressure on both the countries for the resumption of dialogue and added that “it could have been a sort of realization on the part of India, better late than never, that she gave its nod for a composite dialogue with Pakistan.

Talking on Nepal-Pakistan relations, the Pak diplomat hinted that his country was ready to “assist in whatever way it can”. He also revealed that his country was willing to increase the scholarship quota to Nepal in various educational disciplines.

According to Ambassador Akram, the Joint Economic Committee, JEC, is soon meeting in Kathmandu which will look into the entire gamut of Nepal-Pak relations.