AKU Special Lecture Series

Destinies of Islamic Countries and West Interlocked: Dr Maleeha Lodhi

"We live in an age of paradoxes. Globalisation has transformed our life and outlook. It has created a world that is interconnected in ways that are truly amazing. Yet it is a world that is deeply divided. We live in an age of instant information but it is ironic that there is still a knowledge deficit. The gap in understanding and mutual misperceptions between the West and the Muslim world has yet to be meaningfully addressed and bridged. This gap is, in fact, growing."

Dr Maleeha Lodhi, High Commissioner for Pakistan to the UK, delivering a lecture titled ‘Islam and the West: New Perspectives’.

This was stated by Dr Maleeha Lodhi, High Commissioner for Pakistan to the UK, who was the speaker at a Special Lecture Series programme organised by Aga Khan University (AKU), Karachi on December 24, 2004. The Special Lecture Series is part of AKU's multidisciplinary and broad-based approach to education which aims to enrich students' understanding of the humanities and social sciences. The general public also benefits from this one-to-one interaction with scholars and other personalities of national and international repute.

In an eloquent discourse titled 'Islam and the West: New Perspectives', Dr Maleeha Lodhi captivated distinguished guests and members of the public as well as faculty, staff and students at a jam-packed AKU Auditorium. Dr Lodhi, who earlier served as Pakistan's Ambassador to the US following an outstanding career in journalism which included editorship of two leading newspapers, stressed that "this is a pivotal or defining moment in world history. Relations between the Islamic world and the West are at a crossroads. If action, as opposed to just words, is not taken, there is a real danger of an iron curtain descending between the Islamic world and the West.

Dr Maleeha Lodhi captivated distinguished guests and members of the public as well as faculty, staff and students with her talk delivered at a Special Lecture Series programme organised by Aga Khan University.

Dr Lodhi warned that "we live in dangerous times because several world civilisations simultaneously feel that they are under siege. Muslims feel they are under siege, and the West too feels it is under siege. The great challenge is how to bridge this gulf; how to build trust and confidence, how to remove mutual misperceptions, how to promote inter-civilisational harmony and be at peace with each other."

Highlighting the challenges ahead, Dr Lodhi emphasised that "the most critical transformation that the Islamic world has to make is from being mere recipients of knowledge and technology to becoming active participants in creating the 'new'. This means unleashing a grand renaissance of intellectual and scientific thought that can become the vehicle for the Muslim world's socio-economic emancipation."

Dr Lodhi pointed out, however, that "these steps cannot be taken in isolation. Reforms in the Muslim world must be accompanied by concrete and meaningful change in the conduct of foreign policy by key western countries." She added that if the policies of some of these countries remain as dogmatic and unilateral - almost mirroring the stance of some extremists in the Muslim world - then those who want reform, renewal and progress will lose out. And attitudes will harden in the Muslim world. In other words, our destinies are interlocked."

Highlighting the need for greater access to western markets, Dr Lodhi pointed out that while many poor countries, including Pakistan, have heeded the West's advice and dismantled trade barriers, the rich western countries have failed to reciprocate.

"I do not believe that there is a clash of values between the West and Islam that is responsible for the gulf we find today. The culprits are policies, political and economic, that urgently need to be re-evaluated, reformed and recast," she concluded.

Earlier in his welcome and introductory address, Mr Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, President of AKU, congratulated Dr Lodhi on the honorary fellowship she received earlier this year from her alma mater, the London School of Economics. Her citation, he said, described her as "a redoubtable woman, who has excelled in three careers so far: academia, journalism and diplomacy." On the diplomatic front, Mr Kassim-Lakha said that Dr Lodhi is "advocating Pakistan's rich heritage and defending its interests at a most difficult time when the image of Islam in the western world needs to be rescued from accusations of inbred association with militancy." Against this backdrop, he added, "we are fortunate that Maleeha Lodhi is flying the true colours of our great nation abroad."

Dr Lodhi's talk was followed by a question-and-answer session that saw active participation from an enthusiastic audience that clearly appreciated the intellectually stimulating event.