April 02, 2008	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 24, 1429

ISLAMABAD, April 1: The Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) needs to vitalise its role as an effective body of the Muslim world, says Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani.

Talking to OIC Secretary-General Prof Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, who had called on him at the PM Secretariat on Tuesday, the premier praised the new OIC charter and said he hoped it would go a long way in improving the organisation’s functioning.

Stressing the need for adopting a holistic approach to cope with internal and external challenges confronting the Ummah, he said concerted efforts should be made to mobilise all available resources and promote science and technology which was essential for development and progress.

He said that Pakistan appreciated OIC efforts in highlighting the just cause of the Kashmiri people.

He condemned the elements who were trying to malign Islam and the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and said that freedom of expression should not be a pretext for insulting the faith of others.

The OIC secretary-general congratulated the prime minister on assuming the office and assured him that the Kashmir issue would remain at the top of the OIC agenda.

The secretary-general paid tribute to Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Dr Allama Mohammad Iqbal for their visionary role for the Ummah.