ISLAMABAD, April 19: A day-long national consultation on the restructuring of the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Conference concluded here on Sunday with a host of concrete proposals to invigorate the pan-Islamic body.

The consultation was called by Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed in his capacity as member of the 'commission of eminent persons' proposed by President Gen Pervez Musharraf at the October 2003 OIC summit. The purpose of the consultation was to invite proposals for making the OIC an effective voice for the Muslim Ummah, he told Dawn.

"The overriding objective is to promote the image of Islam as a religion of moderation and tolerance and protect rights and interests of Muslim countries," he said. During the five-hour marathon session some participants called for a 'brutal analysis' of the OIC to see where and why it had failed.

It generated a comprehensive debate on the legal aspects of the OIC Charter, education, science & technology, economic dimension of the Muslim world and role of the media. Questions of terrorism and democracy in the Muslim world also figured in the discourse.

"What we need is an institutional Islamic response to the challenges the Muslim world faces today and that can be done through the OIC," Senator Hussain said. "But for this we have to do our homework well," he underlined.

He said all the proposals that had been made would be consolidated and presented at the first meeting of the commission to be convened by the Malaysian prime minister. Mr Mushahid Hussain, member of the Senate standing committee on foreign affairs, has been nominated by the government to represent Pakistan on the commission.