Pakistan Calls for Collective Self-defence for Muslim Countries   
By Sheeraz Aslam 'Pakistan Times' Staff Correspondent

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Thursday urged the Islamic countries to enhance their capacity to defend themselves against external domination by "acquiring the means" for effective and collective self-defence.

Addressing the closing session of the 34th Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, the Prime Minister asked the Ummah to show solidarity and unity to respond to the challenges facing them on all political, social, economic and cultural issues.

Referring to the deliberations and resolutions agreed upon during the three-day conference of foreign ministers from the 57-member OIC, the Prime Minister said, "we shall enhance the capacity of the Islamic countries to defend themselves against external domination and foreign aggression by acquiring the means for effective and collective self defence."

He said the conference was held "at a critical period for the entire Muslim Ummah" when collectively and individually as countries, it was facing a range of grave challenges and risks.

The Muslim world, he said, not only faces challenges but also has numerous opportunities and needs unity and commonality of purpose to work for collective good of the Ummah.

"The heartland of the Islamic world is being ominously described as an ark of crisis afflicted with conflicts and new dangers. There are provocations in the orchestrated campaigns to malign Islam ... There are forces working to push the Islamic world and the West towards a clash. All these dangeroustrends must be reversed for a better world," Shaukat Aziz added.

The Prime Minister said solidarity and harmony within the Islamic world was essential for effectiveness for the sake of peace, progress and prosperity and for the interest of resolution of issues that have caused us so much suffering.

"Our solidarity is not an expression of hostility towards other communities whom we must engage in a cooperative endeavor for a just global order," he said.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said the Muslim world cannot play an effective role in the world affairs without internal reform and socio-economic development.

"We need to reject regressive tendencies and must move in step with our times and transform our countries and societies, with the eternal values of our faith and centuries old traditions of peace and universal brotherhood," he said.

Referring to the Islamabad Declaration agreed upon by the ICFM, the Prime Minister said the OIC Secretariat needs to be strengthened to serve as a "force multiplier" for realization of cooperative endeavors and objectives.

He said OIC Member States are committed to providing the resources and political support required by the Organization to operate effectively to implement its decisions and plans.

The Prime Minister said the during the deliberations the Islamic world has expressed it determination to play the leading role in securing solution to conflicts that afflict the people and nations.

He mentioned the issues of Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Middle East and Jammu and Kashmir, stressing that these have to be peacefully resolved to bring stability and security to the region.

The Prime Minister pointed to the resolve expressed by the foreign ministers to confront terrorism and said, "we shall pursue the path of Enlightened Moderation seeking redress for external injustices and equitable socio-economic progress for our peoples."

He urged the Islamic nations to oppose and reverse the rising phenomenon of Islamophobia manifested in the discrimination, oppression, occupation and exclusion of Muslims in so many parts of the world.

"We shall do everything possible to protect the legitimate rights of Muslim minorities and communities in non-Muslim countries," he added.

He called for pursuing dialogue and understanding with other religions and civilizations to promote global peace and harmony and stressed the need for creating hope and harmony through inter-faith dialogue and cooperation among civilizations.

Prime Minister Aziz said there was also a need to reconcile differences among Islamic States and peoples. "We shall oppose all schemes to divide the Muslim Ummah," he emphasized.

The Prime Minister mentioned the economic contrast existing in the Muslim world, which he said prevented the states from playing a larger role in the comity of nations.

He called for establishing creative linkages to deepen the intra-OIC trade, investment and commercial cooperation.

"Our economies need to be more closely integrated for us to be able to advance our own development goals and to plan a prominent role in shaping international economic trends."

The Islamic Chamber of Commerce and other commercial bodies in the Islamic world should take the lead to promote rapid social and economic development in the countries, building the capacity for production trade and technology, the Prime Minister stressed.

He said there was a need to provide humanitarian and other assistance to Islamic countries and peoples suffering from humanitarian disasters or conflicts.

Prime Minister Aziz said the Muslim world looks to Islamic Development Bank to play a leading role in development, cooperation and humanitarian assistance.

Emphasizing cooperation in education and science and technology, he said Pakistan in its capacity as the chair of COMSTECH was prepared to spearhead this initiative. He said COMSTECH itself should be transformed into a specialized organ of the OIC.

He said mutual cooperation was required for the availability of adequate, affordable and predictable energy to fuel the growing economies of Muslim countries.

The Prime Minister called for developing complementary plans and strategy for the energy security of member states.

Kasuri on OIC Moot

Foreign Minister Khurshid M. Kasuri describing the 34th Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (ICFM) as successful and attaining its objectives said Thursday the meeting provided a timely forum to comprehensively discuss all issues of current importance to the Muslim world.

Addressing a press conference after the conclusion of a three-day conference, Kasuri said the meeting reaffirmed full support to Pakistan on issues of particular concern to us, including Kashmir."All resolutions sponsored by Pakistan have been adopted" by the conference which was attended by all 57 member states, he added.

The Foreign Minister said, the Islamabad ICFM took place at a critical juncture for the Muslim world and it addressed all issues of concern to the Ummah, including Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan, Somalia, and Kashmir.

It also reaffirmed the resolve of the Islamic world to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and stressed the need for addressing its root causes, he added.

Kasuri said, the ICFM also took serious note of increasing trend of Islamophobia and emphasized the imperative of addressing misperceptions about Islam.

He said, the ICFM also adopted a number of resolutions in the economic, social, cultural and information fields, adding, there was a unanimous view for accelerating the process of reform of the OIC.

The Foreign Minister said, the 34th ICFM reviewed the implementation of decisions of the Islamic Summit and provided direction for the future work of the Organization.

The outcome documents adopted at the concluding session of the Conference today included resolutions of the Conference pertaining to a host of issues confronting the Muslim Ummah, Final Communique' of the Conference and the Islamabad Declaration, he added.

He said Pakistan hosted this ICFM as a mark of the abiding commitment of our people to Muslim causes and Islamic solidarity.

The Foreign Minister recalled that Pakistan had earlier hosted 2nd Islamic Summit in Lahore in 1974, Extraordinary Summit in Islamabad in 1997 as part of golden jubilee celebrations of Pakistan's independence as well as a number of ICFMs.

The last regular ICFM hosted by Pakistan was in Karachi in 1993, he added.

Owing to the importance of 34th ICFM, it was inaugurated by President General Pervez Musharraf, who delivered an inspiring inaugural address and the concluding session was addressed by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

He said President Musharraf stressed the need to focus on three specific areas namely socio-economic disparities, internal religious upheaval, and resolving political disputes facing the Islamic Ummah. President Musharraf also called for resolving political disputes facing the Islamic Ummah, including Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Kashmir.

Kasuri referred to Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz who in the conference's concluding session underscored the imperative to address the challenges faced by the Muslim world through a proactive approach and joint action.

Foreign Minister Khurshid M. Kasuri said the Islamabad declaration also called for special emphasis on science and technology. A resolution was adopted to transform the Secretariat of COMSTECH (OIC's standing committee on science and technology chaired by Pakistan) into a specialized organ of the OIC.

He said the ICFM reaffirmed the call to restructure and reform the OIC in order to make it more effective in accordance with the reform programme contained in Makkah Declaration of December 2005 and Ten-year Programme of Action.

Kasuri said during the Conference, the Contact Group on Jammu & Kashmir also met with Secretary General of OIC, Prof. Ekmelledin Ihsanoglu in chair to discuss the Kashmir issue.

The meeting was addressed by Madam Aichatou Mindaoudou, Foreign Minister of Niger, Mehmet Aydin, Senior Minister of Turkey, Dr. Nezar bin Ubaid Madani, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia.

The Foreign Minister said he also addressed the meeting representing Pakistan.

Agha Syed Hassan Al Moosvi AI-Safvi representing All Parties Hurriyet Conference, Raja Zulqarnain Khan President of Azad Jammu & Kashmir and others addressed the Contact Group meeting and presented a Memorandum to the Secretary General, he added.

Kasuri said Pakistan during its chairmanship will make utmost efforts to the strengthening of the OIC and forging solidarity amongst all its member states.

"Specifically, we would concentrate on measures to collectively address challenges confronting the Muslim world and revitalization and reform of the OIC so that it effectively promotes and protects the interests of the Ummah", he added.●