ASTANA, SEPT 10 (DNA): President Mamnoon Hussain Sunday urged the Muslim world to gain self-sufficiency in all fields of modern science which could put it back on track of progress and prosperity.

Addressing the inaugural session of the first summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on science and technology here at Palace of Independence in the Kazakh capital, the president said the decisions taken today would not only bring development to the Islamic world but also help it regain the lost grandeur.

The president arrived here Saturday on four-day visit to attend the summit being chaired by Kazak President Nursultan Nazarbayev while among the participants comprised the heads of state and government and delegates from across the Muslim world.

He said unfortunately, the Muslim world had been lagging behind in the field of education and research which could be judged by the facts and figures of the inventions and patents.

Therefore, it was inevitable for the Muslim states to include science and technology in their priorities as without achieving excellence in these sectors, the common man’s life could not be uplifted.

President Mamnoon observed the Muslim world was faced with new challenges in this modern era which required research in social science and physics.

Keeping the very fact in view, COMSTECH, a standing committee of the OIC had been established that had worked out 10-year programmes participated by researchers and scientists from across the Islamic world.

He said in order to enhance the effectiveness of the programme, some amendments had been proposed which would be adopted by the House in this session.

Under this project, special focus would be given to the space sciences, marine biology, energy production, agricultural technology, food security, climate change and uniformity of industrial standards, he said.

The president told the OIC leaders that COMSTECH had worked out several short and long term plans for the capacity building of the young generation.

He told the gathering that Pakistan always served for the betterment and that was why Pakistan had borne 90 percent expenses of these projects.