ISLAMABAD, March 17: The Network of Academies of Science in countries of the Organization of Islamic Conference (NASIC) was set up at the concluding session of the two-day Inter-Academy Panel (IAP) meeting of the heads of science academies of OIC states here on Wednesday.

Fifteen countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Arab Academy of Sciences, Islamic Academy of Sciences, Islamic Academy of Sciences, Tajikistan and Uganda joined the Network.

The representatives of the OIC science academies unanimously elected Federal Minister in-Charge, Science and Technology, Prof Attaur Rahman, as the first president of the Network.

The meeting was attended by eminent scientists of the Muslim world representing Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bosnia- Herzegovina, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Jordan, Malaysia, Senegal, Turkey and Uganda.

The meeting elected four vice-presidents: Prof Murat Zhurinov, President, National Academy of Sciences, Kazakhstan; Prof Adnan Badran, President Arab Academy of Sciences, Jordan; Dr Salleh Mohammed Nor, Vice President Academy of Science, Malaysia and Prof Ogunmola, President Nigerian Academy of Sciences.

Prof Khalid Mahmood Khan, Secretary General Pakistan Academy of Sciences was elected the Secretary General of the Network. It was decided that OIC member states will be the members of NASIC whereas all the related international organizations can join it as observers.

The secretariat of NASIC will be at Pakistan Academy of Sciences while Comstech will be the hub of activities of the Network. It will be an autonomous, scientific non-governmental, non-political and non-profit organization.

The Network has been formed to act as an independent forum to bring together academies of science in OIC countries to discuss the scientific aspects of problems and to provide mutual support to member academies.

It will develop collaboration in scientific research between the members of the Network and the scientific communities of OIC, promote cooperation between academies in OIC countries by exchanging information on programmes.