By IRNA,
Islamabad : Three Pakistani intellectuals stressed on Monday the need for greater cooperation among Muslim countries to compete with the tsunami of Western technology.
Their remarks came while they were commenting, in an interview with IRNA, on the latest scientific achievement made by Iranian scientists who have recently sent successfully the country’s data-processing satellite, Omid, into the orbit.
Former Secretary General of Pakistan’s Foreign Affairs and the country’s former Ambassador M. Akram Zaki told IRNA that Muslim world should evolved a new concept of ‘Jihad’ in the field of scientific technology to counter West’s scientific monopoly.
“We must develop technologies to compete with them and we must make a knowledge-based development”, he stressed.
Zaki said he was delighted by Iranians scientific breakthrough and congratulated Tehran for sending its Omid satellite into the orbit.
Congratulating the breakthrough to the people and government of Iran, the Pakistani figures said any progress made by Iranian scientists would be highly welcomed by the people of Pakistan.
“Whenever there is a good news from Iran regarding to any technological development, it is always well received and welcomed in Pakistan,”
Lieutenant General (retd) Abdul Qayyum told IRNA.
He added, “Pakistanis believe that Iranians are our brothers and their prosperity is actually the prosperity of Pakistan.”
Abdul Qayyum said that as an ex-army person hel felt “it is in the interest of both countries to increase cooperation in scientific technology, trade, commerce and industry.”
He noted that he was happy to see Iran made a satellite for achieving more information.
Qayyum opined that the cooperation of Iran and Pakistan could bring the Muslim Ummah closer as Iran is a country that can make a difference.
“I feel that we can bring back the old days of glory of Muslim Ummah through cooperation”, Qayyum stressed.
Meanwhile, Farhan Bokhari a senior journalist told IRNA that the launching of the Iranian satellite has once more demonstrated that Iran is capable of making scientific developments despite West’s sanctions and propaganda.
Iran’s scientific development has also indicated that sanctions did have brighter side as they could push a country to make progress on its own resources, Bokhari added.
He urged other Muslim nations to follow the example set by Iran.