I like this article, check this out. Musharraf aims to make Islamic Nations more united, and lead them to achieve scientific and technological development.
Efforts are being taken to make OIC stable and stronger.
Efforts are being taken to make OIC stable and stronger.
Pakistan source for Islamic rebirth, says Musharraf
* Urges Muslim countries to improve peopleââ¬â¢s socio-economic condition
* Stresses members contribute to OICââ¬â¢s reorganisation
ISLAMABAD: President General Pervez Musharraf said on Monday that Pakistan would serve as a source of Islamic renaissance. He also urged leaders of all Muslim countries to strive for the socio-economic uplift of their people.
Addressing a seminar on Islam and the Modern World organised by the Institute of Strategic Studies and the English Speaking Union of Pakistan, the president stressed that each Muslim country contribute financially to the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to enable it to achieve scientific and technological development goals. He said that Islam is in consonance with modernisation and stands for improving the ââ¬Åinner character and living conditionsââ¬Â of people. ââ¬ÅIslam is not in conflict with modernisation. It is for all times. It is progressive and dynamic. The teachings of Islam are in line with democracy, progress and rights of minorities.ââ¬Â Musharraf said Islam suffered from misperceptions. ââ¬ÅIslam is not anti-development or anti-democracy. In fact, moderation and tolerance are foundation of the teachings of Islam,ââ¬Â he said.
Musharraf said that all Muslim countries must demonstrate their will and resolve to reorganise the OIC. ââ¬ÅLetââ¬â¢s pull our people out from their downtrodden socio-economic state through good governance. Letââ¬â¢s set personal examples. Letââ¬â¢s understand Islam in its true essence within ourselves and project it internationally to correct misperceptions about our religion.ââ¬Â
The president underlined the importance of the resolution of political disputes affecting Muslim countries. He referred to his vision of enlightened moderation and urged Muslims to reject extremism in favour of socio-economic development. He asked the West to facilitate the resolution of longstanding political disputes that confront Muslims.
He said that the West should help Muslim countries achieve socio-economic improvement of their people. ââ¬ÅThis strategy offers a way forward and a win-win for all because it will help bring pace and development to the world,ââ¬Â the president said. Musharraf said that the government has set up an institute ââ¬â the Iqbal Institute of Islamic Thought ââ¬â where leading Islamic scholars from around the world were working to understand and project the real essence of Islam.
He referred to Pakistanââ¬â¢s call for mandatory annual contributions by the 57 OIC members of 0.01 percent of their gross domestic product and said this would raise $1.2 billion for restructuring and reorganising the OIC into a vibrant and dynamic body. ââ¬ÅEven if all member countries contribute half of that percentage, the OIC will have at least $100 million to bring the less developed countries out of socio-economic problems.ââ¬Â
The president called for establishing dedicated departments for the promotion of education in science and technology, intra-OIC trade and a separate department of Islamic thought to initiate cooperation for sustainable development and for understanding and spreading Islamââ¬â¢s true message.
Musharraf said that Pakistan was following a strategy to curb and contain extremism in both short and long-term perspectives. He said that Pakistan had banned extremist organisations, proscribed misuse of loudspeakers at worship places and checked the publication and distribution of hate material. Agencies
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006%5C04%5C11%5Cstory_11-4-2006_pg7_43