Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Thursday said that the Islamic world needs closer economic co-operation and sharing of best practices for faster development and increased economic opportunities for its people.
The Prime Minister was talking to Tun Musa Hitam, Chairman World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) Foundation, who called on him here at the PM House this evening. The WIEF is organising its second international conference in Islamabad in November in collaboration with the government of Pakistan.
The first session of the WIEF was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last year where Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz gave the keynote address. It was decided that this Forum will meet every year, alternating between Malaysia and another Islamic country. Pakistan is the first country to be chosen to host it.
The Prime Minister said that leading businessmen, thinkers and intellectuals from the Muslim world and elsewhere will be invited to share ideas, have networking to create business opportunities and to learn from each other.
He said that there are many countries in the Muslim Ummah who have money and labour surpluses and there are countries, which can be attractive destinations for investors. This forum will give them an opportunity of networking with each other to their mutual benefit, the Prime Minister added.
Tun Musa Hitam thanked the Pakistan government for hosting this major event for the Muslim world as this would help promote investment in Pakistan, in the region and enable Pakistan to project its economic policies and investment potential.