Islamabad (GNP): The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan have signed a Letter of Agreement (LoA). It aims to promote joint academic and scholarly activities, strengthen international academic linkages and facilitate the participation of scholars and experts from OIC member states in academic activities at Pakistani universities.
The agreement was signed by Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, Coordinator General of OIC-COMSTECH, and Engr. Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar, Chairman of the HEC, at the OIC-COMSTECH Secretariat in Islamabad.
It seeks to promote academic, scientific and scholarly collaboration through lectures, seminars, workshops, expert talks, academic dialogues, institutional visits and other mutually agreed capacity-building activities. These will involve distinguished scholars, researchers and experts from OIC member states.
The agreement was initiated following the recent visit of the Coordinator General of OIC-COMSTECH to the HEC Regional Centre Lahore, and his discussions with the HEC Chairman on enhancing cooperation between the two institutions.
Welcoming the high-level HEC delegation, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary reaffirmed OIC-COMSTECH’s commitment to promoting scientific cooperation, academic mobility and knowledge exchange across the Muslim world. He offered COMSTECH’s support in arranging visits by leading experts, distinguished academics and scholars from OIC member states to Pakistani universities, to facilitate knowledge sharing, joint research and institutional collaboration.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar appreciated the significant contribution of OIC-COMSTECH to the advancement of science and technology across OIC member states. He observed that collaboration between COMSTECH and the HEC would be highly beneficial in strengthening academic partnerships between Pakistani universities and higher education institutions from other OIC member states.
During the meeting, it was also decided to celebrate the achievements and contributions of prominent Muslim scientists, recognising their historic and contemporary role in advancing science, technology, innovation and human development. The initiative is expected to highlight the scientific heritage of the Muslim world, inspire young researchers and students, and encourage greater interest in scientific research and innovation.
Also Read: Nuclear Attack on Iran Would Be Mutual Suicide, Says Masood Khan
Under the agreement, OIC-COMSTECH will facilitate visits of experts and scholars from OIC member states, while the HEC will extend local hospitality to the visiting scholars.
Senior officials from the HEC and OIC-COMSTECH attended the signing ceremony. They included HEC Members Prof. Dr. Habib Ali Bokhari and Prof. Dr. Shahiq-ur-Rehman; Dr. Nasir Mahmood, Advisor, HEC; Prof. Dr. Ali Nasir; Dr. Javed Iqbal, Director, HEC Regional Centre Lahore; and Muhammad Murtaza Noor, Focal Person/Coordinator, CCoE and Outreach, OIC-COMSTECH.
The agreement marks another step towards strengthening Pakistan’s academic engagement with the wider Muslim world. It is also expected to create new opportunities for universities, researchers and students to benefit from international expertise, collaborative research, scholarly exchange and capacity-building initiatives.
