Islamabad: Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture, Aurangzeb Khan Khichi Wednesday called for enhanced cooperation between Pakistan and Uzbekistan in education, technology and culture.
He was speaking at the First International Conference on Islamic Civilization in Tashkent.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the five-day conference, being held from July 07 to 11 under the theme “The Path of Peace, Tolerance and Enlightenment,” the minister stressed the importance of unity among the Muslim Ummah, saying, “greater collaboration among Muslim countries was essential for preserving and advancing Islamic civilization”.
The conference, organized by the International Center for Islamic Civilization, has brought together scholars, policymakers and experts from across the Muslim world to deliberate on the preservation and promotion of Islamic civilization, said a news release.
Representing Pakistan, Aurangzeb Khan Khichi congratulated the organizers and described the conference as an important platform for strengthening intellectual and cultural links among Muslim nations.
He said unity among the Muslim Ummah was indispensable for the revival and progress of Islamic civilization, adding that Allama Muhammad Iqbal consistently emphasized Muslim unity and urged believers to overcome divisions.
Highlighting the historical and spiritual links between Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent, the minister said Iqbal’s intellectual thought had been deeply influenced by the region’s renowned Sufi saints.
He referred to Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, Syed Ali Hamdani, Zia Nakhshabi and Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, saying they travelled from Central Asia to the Indian subcontinent to spread the message of Islam and establish a rich spiritual and cultural tradition.
The minister said while Muslims take pride in their glorious past, they must work collectively in accordance with Islamic teachings to build a future worthy of that legacy.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to stronger relations with Uzbekistan, he expressed the country’s readiness to expand bilateral cooperation in higher education, technology, culture and other areas of mutual interest.
Pakistan was also represented at the conference by Prof. Dr. Muhammad Saleem Mazhar, Director General of the National Language Promotion Department (NLPD), Islamabad.