Pakistan Along With Four Other Islamic Nations Planning To Form ‘Muslim-5’ To Compete With Non-Islamic Nations

Pakistan is backing an initiative of Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohammad to bring group of five Muslim nations (Pakistan, Indonesia, Turkey, Qatar and, Malaysia) together to achieve socio-economic development, counter growing Islamophobia and to compete with non-Islamic countries in the world, reports The Express Tribune.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said, “Pakistan fully supports the Kuala Lumpur summit as the Muslim World faces a collective challenge of governance, development, climate change, terrorism and rising Islamophobia, warranted an integrated and comprehensive response.”

Together, the group plans to work to preserve Islamic culture and work in the field of trade, tourism, Islamic banking, food security, higher education, science and technology, and women empowerment.

Qureshi blamed globalisation for civilisational and cultural erosion and said “We must not only make sure that we are not left behind but are able to preserve our unique civilisational identity, cultural personality and national sovereignty.”

According to Qureshi, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Qatar, Iran and Turkey collectively have about 50 per cent of the total GDP, presumably within all Islamic Nations. Also they hold 37 per cent in natural gas production and population, and 18 per cent of the total area of the Muslim world.

He also stressed that each nation has a role to play in the collective development and shared prosperity and all five Muslim Nations have close proximity to the strategic maritime points of the world – the Straits of Malacca, Gulf of Oman, Strait of Hormuz, and the Bosphorus.