TUNIS (Tunisia), July 15: President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday called for taking pragmatic steps for the promotion of science and technology in the Muslim world.
Talking here with the Tunisian chamber of deputies (speaker) Fawaad Elmbza, President Musharraf said the Islamic world needed to take practical steps rather than mere lip-service to bring it out of the crises it was facing today.
The president informed the speaker that Pakistan had already taken an initiative in this direction and referred to a Science and Technology Fund. He said he had proposed the fund to be set up with contributions from Islamic countries to promote higher education in this field.
The president met Mr Fawaad Elmbza during his visit to the Tunisian Parliament House. He stayed with the speaker for some time and exchanged views on bilateral matters.
Mr Fawaad said Pakistan’s achievements in science and technology were a source of pride for the Islamic world and stressed that it must play a leading role in development of this vital field in Muslim countries.
The two sides also underlined the need of an increased interaction between their parliaments to further promote the bilateral relations between the two countries.
President Musharraf told the Tunisian speaker about the efforts to promote sustainable democracy in the country.
MARKETS: Gen Musharraf strolled through the capital’s old town on Tuesday, chatting with merchants and visiting a mosque, officials said.
Musharraf browsed in the bazaar with his wife Ms Sehba.
Both later went to the Zitouna mosque, a prestigious centre of moderate Islam, before rounding off their afternoon with a visit to the national museum and parliament building.
The president was wrapping up a three-day stay in Tunisia, during which he held talks with Tunisian President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali on bilateral relations as well as the Middle East crisis and Iraq.
Late Monday, both presidents reiterated their support for the Palestinian people and an independent Palestinian state, while pushing for peace and security in the entire region.
Musharraf would meet Ben Ali once more on Wednesday before travelling on to Algeria and Morocco.
He also visited martyrs memorial at Sedjoumi, about 25km south of the capital.
Three guns boomed as the President laid the wreath.
The president stood in silence for one minute in respect of those who gave their lives to free their country from the colonial rule in 1956.—Agencies
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