By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad: The US administration on Saturday sought to allay
the fears of the Muslim community by sending a clear cut message that
the USA is not against Muslims or Islam.
US under-secretary of State for political affairs Nicholas Burns hosted
lunch to prominent Muslim elders of Hyderabad at the historic Nizam
Club as part of the world-wide US exercise to build bridges with
Muslims.
The relations between the USA and the Muslim world have
turned bitter after the September 11 terrorist attacks and the invasion of
Afghanistan and Iraq by American-led forces.
Senior Muslim leaders including eminent jurist Justice Sardar Ali
Khan, Jamia Nizamia rector Syed Akbar Nizamuddin, former minister
Bashiruddin Babukhan, Information Minister Muhammad Ali Shabber,
Munsif Urdu daily chief editor Khan Lateef Khan and Siasat Urdu
daily chief editor Zahid Ali Khan attended the dinner.
The Muslim leaders posed an array of questions to the US
undersecretary wanting to know when the US will attack Iran and what
is the fate of the Iraq Commission report. Khan Lateef Khan and others
made it clear that Muslims are not against the people of America but
against the policies of the US government.
Nicholas enquired about the socio-economic status of Muslims in
South India vis-a-vis north India.
