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WITH the global economy taking an abrupt shift — explicitly — the developing countries bearing a low profile vis-à-vis affluence, D-8 — a podium of economic activity, more exclusively for the Muslim world meets in Tehran today — Wednesday, perceptibly with a ray of hope to clutch self-reliance in an epoch where the West is graphing with a lofty trend to the atypical extent of the British sterling and Euro hitting the ceilings to an hypothetical n’ computer-generated magnitude — yet the American dollar still static n’ stagnant.

The awful fate of the US currency needs no elucidation, as due to a natural phenomenon, it was expected to confront the same plight for the raison d'être — best known to Washington — meticulously in the wake of its’ own ‘policies’ — hallmarked by a delight of hegemony all-over.

As the forex indicator portrays, the time seems not far away when the Sterling — along with Euro — may touch still more peaks, eventually jolting the financial systems of a hefty number of realms — especially those with scarce capital. Amid this milieu, the Tehran moot has gained a heavier responsibility as well as global significance.

As has been said by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali on his landing on the soils of Iran on Tuesday ‘the emphasis of the D-8 Summit would be on enhancing multilateral ties besides the promotion of ideology based on enlightened moderation, of-course with a focus on promotion of economic and trade activity and the D-8 forum is the best suited for the purpose.’ Jamali emphatically said; ‘the deliberations during the D-8 Summit would be on economic issues.’

Well-versed D-8, also known as developing-8 is an arrangement for development cooperation among a number of countries which include Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Turkey, and Pakistan. It also adds a new dimension to enrich the social and economical relations of its partners.

Following the "Conference on Cooperation for Development", on October 22, 1996, and after a series of preparatory meetings the establishment of D-8 was announced officially by the Summit of Heads of State and Government in Istanbul, on June 15, 1997 — known as — The Istanbul Declaration.

The objectives of D-8 are to improve developing countries' positions in the world economy, diversify and create new opportunities in trade relations, enhance participation in decision-making at the international level, and provide better standards of living.

D-8 is a global arrangement rather than a regional one, as the composition of founding members reflects. Simultaneously, its membership is open to other developing countries subscribing to the goals, objectives, and principles of the group, sharing common bonds.

Provided by its’ charter, it is a forum with no adverse impact on bilateral and multilateral commitments of the member countries emanating from their membership and international organizations.

We hope that the D-8 top-level meting tap the real economic issues, being faced by a world know as the ’abode of have-nots’ — irrespective of one’s faith, cast, color, creed or credo — but certainly with spotlight on the plight of the Muslims, who are comparatively facing hefty dilemmas — especially — in the vital field of economy.

To clutch such a cherished goal, every pragmatic n’ peace-loving soul — with ones’ credibility as a patriotic Muslim — atop would, by all means inexorably endorse such an outlook — as it is an apposite time that — in addition to D-8 efforts — the OIC countries should now discard lip service and shrug off in action — with a zest — that the Muslim countries have copious financial resources and they would — simultaneously — generate funds for to refurbish the monetary systems of their fellows-in-faith.

Wouldn’t a hefty mobilization of funds — by all realism — prove significant for the Muslims — who are facing assorted types of risks — solely in the arena of jobs and are forced to gaze towards inimical directions — like the ersatz n’ pseudo civilizations, claiming themselves as the podium n’ helix of source of succor for the humankind — ‘due to their palpable development in manifold fields’?

A reality persists — unabated — that the Muslim world will never move forward if a solid process of mustering bursary is not made available for their mutual benefit. We are ought to believe that we will get returns from the money we give; the return is for our collective good. With such a perception, the Islamic world would — in fact — be investing for its’ own collective advantage.

Of-course no nation — with a reverential insight — likes alien dependency in any form or fashion. A self-reliant emblem — may one be an individual or an aromatic bouquet of populous in the silhouette of an autonomous n’ sovereign nation — can only be ensured with mutual trust n’ multi-directional candid n’ serene endeavors — with sagacity as it’s’ pedestal.

Laxity in any outline towards the mobilization of grand, grandiose, profuse n’ prolific resources, at present at the disposal of the Muslim world, shall — in the nutshell — fetch nothing except still more flaws or Achilles' heel for the Ummah — a nonconforming setting, it can — in no way — afford whatever, it may be.

Solemn emotions of unison — amongst the Muslims — is thus not only a pre-requisite to face challenges to the 21st-century epoch, but also an indispensable need for the faithful — bound by the teachings of Islam — to crush n’ curb all sorts of flawed notions, produced n’ twisted by a set of fanatics n’ radicals, who have — perceptibly — given an awful name to the fabulous faith, as — Islam is the most peaceful religion, which loves n’ adores peace n’ harmony and loathes n’ hates — sadism n’ terrorism in its’ all form n’ manifestations — wherever it exits in a hideous n’ harsh way.

We hope that the D-8 summit shall take-up these topics at its’ assemblage to mitigate the sufferings of the humankind. Towards the end of this moot, a session of the OIC becomes all the more essential to work-out a meaningful strategy for the fiscal betterment of the deprived people in general and the Muslims in specific.

If it evades such a course, a motionless, static n’ hushed OIC would be deemed as far more shocking with cynicism for its aficionados — affixed n’ glued with a lot of hopes n’ aspirations with it — than a roving n’ roaming set-up — may it be with, moderately less magnitude of its’ opus, which are, by virtue of the present universal environs — indispensable for it to become as vocal towards its standpoint — as it is supposed to do as a pragmatic voice of its limbs — wherever, they dwell.

And finally, we are optimistic about the upshot of the Tehran D-8 deliberations, which would — expectantly — be based on the ground realities rather than mere illusions — to save the famished world from still more pecuniary crashes. No doubt, it has a magnificent schema with it — which is ought to be fulfilled, come-what-may, lest the swelling n’ taxing rates of the western currencies — turn its’ pragmatic plans of prosperity, hapless.

© 2004 Mumtaz Hamid Rao-Pakistan Times

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