Saudi Arabia has made the most significant technological progress among Islamic countries and is actively collaborating
with member states of the **Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)** to further advance science and technology. This was stated by Ambassador **Aftab Ahmad Khokher**, Assistant Secretary General for Science and Technology at the OIC, during a meeting with members of the Pakistan Journalists Forum (PJF).
The members of the Pakistan Journalists Forum held a detailed and cordial meeting with former Consul General of Pakistan in Jeddah, Ambassador Aftab Ahmad Khokher. During the meeting, both sides recalled the memorable and positive relationship he maintained with journalists during his tenure in Jeddah. Forum members noted that his services for the Pakistani community, support for the Kashmir cause, and efforts to help Pakistanis secure employment opportunities in Saudi Arabia are still remembered with great respect by the community.
It is worth mentioning that before his appointment to the OIC, Ambassador Aftab Ahmad Khokher held several important diplomatic positions within Pakistan’s Foreign Service. He served as Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office at Vienna, and Ambassador to Lebanon and Austria. He also served as Pakistan’s non-resident Ambassador to Slovakia. During his tenure as Consul General in Jeddah, he oversaw matters concerning the Pakistani community and Hajj pilgrims in Saudi Arabia. He also served as Chairman of the Group of 77 (G-77) in Vienna.
Pakistan takes pride in his services at the OIC, where he is currently responsible for promoting cooperation among Islamic countries in the fields of science, research, technology, artificial intelligence, health, food security, and water security.
During the meeting, Ambassador Khokher explained that the OIC’s Science and Technology Department is working actively to strengthen cooperation among member states. The department aims to enhance collaboration between research institutions, universities, and scientific organizations while overseeing joint initiatives in healthcare, food security, water resources, environmental protection, artificial intelligence (AI), and cybersecurity.
He highlighted that Saudi Arabia, a close friend of Pakistan, is currently giving exceptional attention to science and technology and is making rapid progress in the sector. Both Saudi citizens and expatriates living in the Kingdom are benefiting from these technological advancements through improved services and greater efficiency in daily life.
Ambassador Khokher further noted that the OIC is working to promote local vaccine production and self-reliance in healthcare among Islamic countries. Under his leadership, meetings with the **Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS)** in Kazakhstan have focused on enhancing food security, modern agricultural technologies, and sustainable water management projects.
He also emphasized that OIC member states are increasingly focusing on artificial intelligence, with Saudi Arabia and several other Islamic countries playing a leading role in advancing cooperation in this field. In addition, through collaboration with **OIC-CERT** in Malaysia, efforts are underway to strengthen partnerships in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and digital protection.
The Pakistan Journalists Forum congratulated Ambassador Aftab Ahmad Khokher on his achievements and expressed pride that a distinguished Pakistani diplomat is playing an important and active role within the OIC. The forum members commended his leadership in promoting cooperation among OIC member states in science, healthcare, food security, environmental sustainability, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity.
The PJF delegation included Amir Muhammad Khan, Maroof Hussain, Jameel Rathore, Shahid Naeem, Khalid Khurshid, Khalid Cheema, Asad Akram, and Ryan Matyar.
The meeting concluded with a grand and elegant dinner reception.
