 President General Pervez Musharraf Monday said Pakistan will serve as a fountainhead of Islamic Renaissance and urged leaders of all Muslim countries to strive for socio-economic uplift of their people and also encourage understanding true essence of Islam.
| Since the Pakiwakis have been at the forefront of the Islamic world for so long ... |
Addressing a seminar on Islam and the Modern World, organized jointly by the Institute of Strategic Studies and English Speaking Union of Pakistan, the President also renewed his call for mandatory contribution by each Islamic country to enable the OIC to deliver in terms of their scientific and technological development.
| Becuase there's a wealth of Islamic scientific and technological know-how just waiting for funding ... |
The President also underscored that Islam is in consonance with modernization as the religion stands for improving the "inner character and living conditions" of the people. "Islam is not in conflict with modernization -- it is for all times -it is progressive and dynamic -- it is in consonance with modenization as it aims at development of people -- teachings of Islam are in line with democracy, progress and rights of minorities."
| Just like it was a thousand years ago. |
He said that Islamic countries can grow a global economic power by boosting mutual trade and utilizing 70 percent of their oil resources.
| Instead of using the money to buy Bentleys. |
Identifying some of the key problems confronting the Muslim world, the President stressed that the way forward called for demonstration of "will and resolve" by all OIC countries vis a vis socio-economic emancipation of their people and reorganization of the Organization of Islamic Conference. "Let's pull our people out of the downtrodden socio-economic state through good governance - let's set personal example - let's understand Islam in its true essence within ourselves and project it internationally to correct misperceptions about our religion.
| This is heresy in so many ways, Perv ... |
President Musharraf also underlined the importance of resolution of political disputes affecting the Muslim countries. In this context, he referred to his vision of enlightened moderation and said it calls upon the Muslims to reject extremism in favour of their socio- economic development and asks the West to facilitate the resolution of longstanding political disputes that confront Muslims.
| By resolving them in favor of Muslims, of course. How's that Kashmir thing working out? |
He referred to Pakistan's call for mandatory annual contribution of .01 per cent of GDP by each of the 57 Muslim countries and said it would raise US dollars 1200 million for restructuring and reorganizing the OIC into a vibrant and dynamic body. "Even if all member countries contribute half of that percentage, the OIC will have at least US dollars 100 million to bring the less developed countries out of socio-economic backwaters."
| And $100 mil will do so much good in North Wazoo ... |
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