‘Islam and State’ Conference opens on January 25

Islamabad, The Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI) will host a two-day International Conference in Islamabad on ‘Islam and State: Practice and Perceptions in Pakistan and the Contemporary Muslim World’ on January 25-26, says a press release issued here on Thursday.The conference is being planned in collaboration with Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) plus Iqbal International Institute for Research and Dialogue (IRD) of International Islamic University (IIU), Islamabad.

It is being organized to address the dichotomy among perception and practice that is prevalent in the present day Muslim world with regard to the concept of the state in Islam and its practical application in areas of political behavior, form of government, structure of economy, law and justice, and human rights particularly in relation to women and religious minorities.

The objective of the conference is to share experiences with scholars from different Muslim states in an effort to formulate practicable recommendations for improving governance issues, removing social discord and financial disparities that are said to be promoting extremist tendencies in Muslim societies.

In addition to seven eminent Pakistani scholars Dr. Mumtaz Ahmad, Dr. Muhammad Khalid Masud, Dr. Professor Anis Ahmad, Dr. Noor ul Haq, Dr. Professor Pervez Tahir, Dr. Dost Muhammad, Dr. Rukhsana Qambar, Dr. Imtiaz H. Bokhari, renowned scholars from Indonesia: Ms Mustaghfirah Rahayu, Malaysia: Professor Dr. Khalq Ahmad Bin Mohammad, Bangladesh: N.M. Sajjad-ul-Haq, Saudi Arabia: Dr. Suhair Hassan Al-Quarashi, Turkey: Dr. Gokhan Bacik, Egypt: Ashraf M Sadek and Sudan: Dr. Nafie Ali Nafie) will address the conference.

Federal Education Minister Sardar Aseff Ahmad Ali will inaugurate the conference at the auditorium of the International Islamic University, Faisal Mosque Campus Islamabad.