She said that the globalization and technological advancements in the world was leading to higher levels of income inequality, marginalizing masses to get quality education and better health facilities and improved civic amenities.
Fehmida feared that such inadequacies imperil young democracies and leads to a state of hopelessness, which translates into hatred and feeds extremism and terrorism.
Suggesting in the vital interest of the Muslim Ummah, Fehmida said “We should engage into workable and mutually beneficial mechanism of resource sharing and actually lay the foundations of sustainable democracies in our respective countries by jointly fighting hunger, disease, illiteracy and natural calamities.”
She was positive that a strongly mandated PUIC, through its various existing and expanded organs can play a bridging role.
Dr. Fehmida Mirza said “ The Palembeng Conference is taking place at a crucial juncture of our history when the winds of change are blowing across continents, calling for all-inclusive and meaningful democratic transformation”.
“We as the democratic representatives of 57 nations and over 1.5 billion Muslim people cannot remain oblivious to this challenge, therefore, a
guiding wisdom must emerge from this important platform in order to steer the Ummah through the present testing times,” she said.
She opined that the Democracy is the only-way out to translate the ideals of across-the board economic prosperity, social justice and international peace into practical reality.
In order to rebuild our economies, she said the OIC Member States should encourage trade and investments; assist each other in developing critical areas of education and healthcare and support us in reviving a pluralistic, tolerant and an all-inclusive society.
It was right time to take tangible steps and translate the sentiments of Islamic unity into concrete measures of cooperation, common prosperity and mutual benefit, she said.
The Speaker said that 65 years of democratic struggle in Pakistan has demonstrated that the only way to sustainable democracy is through building stronger systems of equitable social and economic justice.
She called for initiating a culture of dialogue through PUIC across the Muslim World to find long-lasting solutions through peaceful means.
She viewed that democracies cannot prosper in an ambiance of injustice,unfair practices and violation of human rights.
Dr. Fehmida Mirza said that the return of democracy in Pakistan has actively sought to address issues through dialogue and reconciliation.
The spirit of accommodation and understanding has paved the way for a strong Parliament which has been illustrated through the unanimous passage of 18th and 19th Constitutional Amendments.
During past four years, she said the Parliament has primarily focused on social reforms agenda and has passed more than 90 Bills mostly relating to welfare and protection of women, children and other marginalized sections of the society. (APP)
