Daily Times

Coordinator General of COMSTECH, Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, and Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Hissein Brahim Taha, in a meeting held on Thursday, expressed commitment to strengthen cooperation and foster advancements that benefit the diverse member states of the OIC.

The meeting was held at the OIC General Secretariat in Jeddah, according to a message received here.

This meeting, aligned with the 7th Annual Coordination Meeting of OIC institutions, witnessed the active participation of key figures, including officials from OIC, COMSTECH, Chairman BoG University of Lahore Awais Raoof, and Rector UOL Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ashraf.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Choudhary presented a comprehensive overview of COMSTECH’s achievements in 2023 and the preceding four years, outlining future programs and initiatives for OIC Member States.

Notable highlights included the initiation of training for 18 ophthalmologists from various OIC African Member States at LRBT Pakistan.

Dr. Iqbal said in the meeting, “COMSTECH currently welcomes researchers from OIC Member States to Pakistani universities through the COMSTECH Consortium of Excellence Program.”

He said that already COMSTECH has announced science and technology and fellowship programs for Yemen, Palestine, Nigeria, Mauritania, Somalia, Kyrgyzstan, Gambia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Iran.

The discussion also touched upon various initiatives, including the COMSTECH-IsDB cataract surgery campaign in Africa, the COMSTECH OIC Technology Portal, the COMSTECH Distinguished Scholars Program, the COMSTECH Virology Fellowship Program, the CCoE Fellowship and Training Program, the COMSTECH-IFS program, the COMSTECH-TWAS program, the COMSTECH Science in Exile Fellowship Program, and a Special Program for Muslim Minority Youth and Young Scientists in non-OIC member states.

In a significant development, Mr. Awais Raoof, Chairman BoG, the University of Lahore, expressed the university’s commitment to establishing a 400-bed hospital and four institutions, including the Institute of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Management Sciences, Faculty of Management Technology, and Faculty of Information Technology, in the Republic of Chad, under the umbrella of COMSTECH’s Program for African Least Developed Countries of OIC Member States.

Additionally, he extended an offer of 5,000 free scholarships, fellowships, and short training programs for Palestinian students through the Association of Private Sector Universities of Pakistan (APSUP) under the COMSTECH Palestine Program.

In response, Secretary General OIC expressed huge appreciation for COMSTECH’s substantial contributions to OIC member states and assured full support from the OIC General Secretariat.

He commended Dr. Iqbal’s leadership and efforts in advancing collaborative initiatives within the OIC framework and issued instructions to his cabinet to implement COMSTECH’s programs and offers on priority.