President General Pervez Musharraf on Sunday underlined the importance of reforming the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) into a vibrant organisation, capable of meeting political and economic challenges confronting the Muslim world.
He was addressing the OIC commission of eminent persons. The President said the Muslim world should go for their socio-economic development and the western powers should help resolve political disputes affecting the Muslims.
OIC secretary-general Professor Dr Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Malaysian foreign minister Syed Hamid Albar and foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri also attended the meeting.
President Musharraf highlighted the need for having dedicated departments for promoting mutual co-operation.
In particular, he advocated the setting up of a department of trade and commerce to help the Muslim countries to expand their trade from the current mere 13 percent to meaningful levels for the goal of socio-economic progress.
The President also pinpointed the importance of having a department of Islamic thought for understanding and promoting real values of Islam and for curbing extremism and terrorism, which run counter to Islam's spirit of moderation and enlightenment.
Likewise, he said, a department focusing on improving education in the Muslim
countries should aim at sharing knowledge and expertise at higher-level through establishment of centres of excellence.
A dedicated department should analyse the political disputes affecting the Muslim countries and give recommendations for their settlement, he said.
Another department should focus on improving conditions of women in the Muslim countries-by redressing cultural problems hampering their participation in development, the President added.
President Musharraf also called for establishing separate departments for promoting media in the Muslim world.
On funding of the OIC, the President proposed a mechanism of mandatory contributions from member countries. He said richer countries should come forward with greater contributions to help out poor countries.
"We should not only aim at having an organised OIC secretariat but also help each other out - the rich must assist the poor members to step up their development.
"The OIC must have a voice at world forms: at the United Nations and the European Union."
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