ISLAMABAD, Feb 22: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz urged Muslim states on Wednesday to adopt a focused approach to achieve energy, water and food securities by pooling resources and sharing best practices.

He was talking to a delegation of members attending the 12th General Assembly Meeting of the OIC’s Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) here at the Prime Minister’s House.

“We will be very strong and can gain a lot with our unified strength,” he told the delegates.

Mr Aziz said that Ummah needed to stand united and work hard to achieve its past glory by making advancements in research and development and science and technology.

He however regretted ‘disappointing’ contributions by the member states and asked for more funds and a focused approach to achieve food, water and energy security.

The prime minister said that the member states should work jointly on projects dealing with software development, value addition of agri products, alternative energy or agree on some other target area.

“We all can share our best practices and creation of centres of excellence in different areas, enabling Ummah to move forward in the field of science and technology,” he added.

Mr Aziz referred to the publication of blasphemous cartoons of Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) that had hurt the sentiments of Muslims. “It shows lack of sensitivity and ignorance...and has affected the interfaith harmony.”

Condemning the publication, he called for action against the perpetrators and measures to ensure such acts do not repeat.

The prime minister informed the delegates about the economic challenges that the country faced and how it managed to overcome them. He said the country was also adhering to the Millennium Development Goals and took them as challenges to bring about a marked improvement in the living standard of its people.

He said Pakistan through its agricultural reforms had focused on ways to increase the income of farmers, without giving any subsidies, but by using new seeds, fertilizers and technology.

Minister for Science and Technology Nouraiz Shakoor and Dr Attaur Rahman, Coordinator-General of Comstech were present during the call on.

Dr Atta said the organization was currently working on 100 projects in 27 countries and trying to make it more vibrant and far reaching.

He said the 12th meeting had also approved a $18 million programme for future projects and has got support of the Islamic Development Bank and several countries.—APP