President urges Ummah to develop scientific knowledge

Islamabad:President Dr. Arif Alvi pointed out that the pace of scientific developments in the present era is so rapid that will widen the gap further between the developed and developing Muslim countries if immediate and focused actions are not taken. He identified the spirit of enquiry and boldness as characteristic of the Muslim scientists and philosophers in the glorious days of Muslim science and philosophy. The President mentioned that the Comstech is the only major institution in OIC, established for the socio-economic development of the Ummah through the application of science and technology.

He urged the OIC member states to join hands with this prestigious institution and work together for the renaissance of the Ummah. He said that Comstch is only institution of OIC hosted by Pakistan and lauded Comstech efforts for promotion of scientific cooperation and the uplift of the OIC countries. He made these remarks in his address to the inaugural session of the Global A-Farabi forum organized jointly by Comstech and the government of Kazakhstan.

The opening session was also addressed by the Coordinator General Comstech, Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, the Assistant Secretary General of OIC, Ambassador Askar Mussinov, Dr. Darkhan Kydyrali, President International Turkic Academy and the Kazakhstan Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Berik Aryn. All the speakers emphasized the need of the advancement of science and technology in the OIC member states and resolved to follow the tradition of the renowned Muslim scholar Abu-Nasr Al-Farabi to recapture the golden era of the Ummah. The Coordinator General Comstech, Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary in his address announced that Comstech and the Turkic Academy would continue the tradition set by this Global Al-Farabi Forum by organizing similar forums on renowned Pakistani philosopher Allama Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, in Turkmenistan, and on the eminent astronomer scientist Ulugh Beg in Uzbekistan. In his address, the Assistant Secretary General of OIC ensured the full support for the development of science and technology in OIC member states.

Dr. Darkhan Kydyrali, the President of International Turkic Academy appreciated Comstech for organizing the forum on such a renowned scholar and resolved to take this tradition further and hold such forums on other renowned muslim scholars. The two-day conference is being organized in celebration of the 1150th anniversary of Abu Nasr Al-Farabi, the great Muslim philosopher and scientist who hailed from the lands, now are part of Kazakhstan. The two-day event includes lectures, both in person and online, by leading international experts on early Islamic thought, history and philosophy. It is being organized for the first time in Pakistan.

Over 120 scholars from Pakistan, United Kingdom, Kazakhstan, Cameroon, Nepal, Somalia and Sudan are participating in this event. The lectures would cover different aspects of the multi-faceted contributions of Al-Farabi as a philosopher and a scientist. The conference has five working sessions with lectures, followed by a closing session with a panel discussion titled “Science and the Islamic World-A philosophical assessment”, with a focus on identifying the intellectual and physical impetus required for scientific uplift in the Islamic world of today.