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‘OIC secretary general be appointed by consensus’

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali said on Friday that Pakistan would urge Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) member states to appoint a new secretary general by consensus rather than election.

He said this at a meeting with Malaysian Ambassador Hasmy Bin Agam. The prime minister underlined Pakistan’s deep commitment to OIC objectives and said Pakistan would like to work with Malaysia, the current chairman of the 10th summit conference for reforming OIC as an effective and credible organisation.

The new secretary general of the OIC will be appointed during 31st meeting of the OIC foreign ministers being held in Istanbul on June 14-16. Ambassador Agam conveyed greetings of Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi to Prime Minister Jamali and briefed him on a forthcoming ministerial meeting of the Non-aligned Movement’s Committee on Palestine to be held on May 13 in Kuala Lumpur. Earlier, Ambassador Agam called on the foreign minister and the foreign secretary to seek Pakistan’s support for his candidature.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali on Friday expressed his optimism that the Pakistan Muslim League (PML) merger would bring positive changes in the country’s politics.

“I am pretty confident that a positive political culture will prevail in the country after the merger of the five factions of the PML,” he said while talking to Federal Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed at Prime Minister’s House. He said all leagues would vow to work for the betterment of the country at the PML’s meeting on May 12 being summoned for the merger of the factions.

About press freedom, he said press was far more liberated during his government than in any previous governments. “Every one in the country has a right to freedom of expression and the media has played a vital role in this regard. My government has faced positive criticism from the media with large heart,” he added.

However, he urged media to do its duty and assist the government with positive criticism. Prime Minister Jamali praised Sheikh Rashid’s efforts for the improvement of the Information Ministry. —Agencies

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