President General Pervez Musharraf on Friday urged the Muslim scholars to raise consciousness about population planning since burgeoning population has hampered economic growth in the Islamic countries and deprived them of progress befitting their true potential. Addressing a gathering of eminent scholars from 19 Muslim countries, the President stressed upon the need for devising population policies on the basis of realistic appraisal of socio-economic conditions.
"We must wake up - Our abysmal socio-economic indicators should be a wake up call for us - if we do not devise and follow concrete policies in this respect, we will not be able to curb poverty and progress despite possessing 70 per cent natural resources," he underlined.
The President pointed out that collective GDP of the entire Muslim world was less than a developed and industrialised country and said the situation calls for unambiguous and clear population and development policies.
He informed the scholars that Pakistan witnessed a sharp increase in its population in the first 50 years since its inception from 35 million to 150 million but the Government's efforts lately have brought down the growth level to 1.9 per cent.
"We have brought down the population growth rate from 2.5 to 1.9 per cent - had we maintained an appropriate level earlier, we would have achieved much greater economic development," he said.
Continuing, the President said, the Ulema should come forward and supplement the Government with their pro-active support so that our future generations become prosperous.
"The religious scholars should emphasise an enlightened understanding of Islam and discard ritualistic and obscurantist interpretations," he said.
On women's role in this context, he said, they were destined to contribute pivotally as their bringing up the new generation has a great bearing on shaping the society.
"The upbringing of children on the basis of enlightened education curbs extremist tendencies and makes individuals useful member of the society - an educated women, in fact, contributes to fighting extremism and terrorism,' he stated.
The President emphasised the need for doing away obscurantist interpretations, which went against women and were contrary to the teachings of Islam. Islam, he added, is a strong advocate of women rights in various facets of life. He also informed the gathering about the government's efforts for political empowerment of women who form half of the country's population, as it considered their contribution to the politico-economic development process as critically important.
Referring to the turmoil besetting the Muslim world, he said it was only a minority of extremists, which was holding the vast moderate majority hostage.
"We have to understand and follow real values of Islam," he stressed. Islam, he said, stands for moderation, peace and well being of all and there was no room for intolerance or extremism in the great religion.
Emphasising the importance of restructuring of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) he said, the Muslim body should have separate departments of Islamic Thought and Women Affairs in order to become an effective organisation and relevant to modern challenges.
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