Islamabad, September 28, 2026: Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has appreciated the initiatives of OIC-COMSTECH to address future challenges facing the Muslim world, while the possibility of Malaysia hosting a future Science and Technology Summit was also discussed.
The discussion took place during an interaction between Prime Minister Anwar and OIC-COMSTECH Coordinator General Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary on the sidelines of the International Future Conference 2026 in Kuala Lumpur.
Prime Minister Anwar inaugurated the two-day conference at the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation (ISTAC), International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), on Monday.
Prof. Choudhary said the interaction focused on future projects and prospects for expanding cooperation between Malaysia and OIC-COMSTECH. The two sides also discussed the possibility of Malaysia hosting a future summit dedicated to science and technology.
The conference, being held on September 28-29 under the theme “Shaping the Future Through Knowledge, Innovation, and Civilisational Leadership,” has been organised by OIC-COMSTECH in collaboration with IIUM.
Around 180 participants, including policymakers, academics, scientists, technology experts, institutional leaders and youth representatives, are attending the event.
Addressing the conference, Prime Minister Anwar appreciated the efforts of OIC-COMSTECH and IIUM in examining future challenges, particularly those confronting the Muslim world.
He said the Muslim Ummah needed the determination to master its intellectual heritage, the courage to question established assumptions and the willingness to explore uncharted areas of knowledge.
Anwar said the future demanded creativity, intellectual freedom and determination, while technological advancement, including artificial intelligence and digital transformation, must remain connected with ethical, cultural and societal values.
He stressed the need for a broader approach under which science and technology advance alongside philosophy, history, morality and the humanities.
OIC Assistant Secretary-General for Science and Technology Ambassador Aftab Ahmad Khokhar said OIC member states had a collective responsibility to shape a future driven by knowledge, science, technology and innovation while ensuring that technological advancement remained aligned with human dignity, ethical values and sustainable development.
He said science and innovation were no longer merely instruments of economic progress but had become strategic foundations for resilience, technological self-reliance and future prosperity.
Khokhar also praised OIC-COMSTECH for creating a forward-looking platform connecting leaders, policymakers, academia and youth, and highlighted its role in advancing future-oriented programmes under the leadership of Prof. Choudhary.
Prof. Choudhary described the conference as an important platform for preparing the Muslim world for rapidly changing technological, economic and social realities.
He said bringing together expertise from science, education, policy and industry could help generate new partnerships and strengthen cooperation among OIC member states in areas critical to their future development.
The conference is organised around six major pillars: artificial intelligence and space technologies; climate change and energy transition; future economies and Islamic social finance; halal technology and development in the 21st century; youth, leadership and human capital development; and the future of education.
The first day features sessions on AI and Space Technologies, Climate Change and Energy Transition, and Future Economies and Islamic Social Finance.
The second day will focus on Halal Technology and Development in the 21st Century, Future Youth, Leadership and Human Capital Development, and The Future of Education.
