ISLAMABAD,

The religious affairs committee of ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-e-Azam) has finalized its recommendations to transform the country's political and economic policies inline with the Islamic principles. The committee, which met here Monday with Doctor Muhammad Khalid Raza Zakori Sharif in the chair, extensively discussed the latest political situation and took important decisions in this regard. PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussein attended the meeting as a special guest while senior vice President Abdul Majid Malik and Secretary General Saleem Saifullah Khan were also present there. The meeting furnished its recommendations to bring the country's economic and political policies as par with the Islamic teachings. These recommendations include alternative of Riba, Islamic financial system, elimination of corruption and lawlessness, preservation of women's inherent rights, protection of minority's rights, end of vulgarity from media and promotion of Islamic political system.

Taken From: http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.php?id=26506

Seminar on understanding Islamic religion

A seminar on understanding the Islamic religion, jointly organized by five associations of the Kuala Belait Tionghua community with the cooperation of KB Dakwah Unit Office was held yesterday at the Chinese Chamber of Commerce building. The Chief Guest during the seminar was Dato Awg Hj Adam bin Hj Ahmad, the Director of Dakwah Islamiah Centre, Ministry of Religious Affairs.The objective of the seminar was to provide an explanation to the Tionghua community about the role of Islam, the third biggest religion in the world, to further illustrate the contribution of the religion towards the social development of the Tionghua community.

Taken From: http://www.brudirect.com/DailyInfo/News/Archive/May03/260503/bb04.htm

NGOs Decry 'Bribes' and 'Threats' Behind U.N. Vote

UNITED NATIONS

A coalition of over 150 peace groups and global non-governmental organizations (NGOs) is lashing out at the U.N. Security Council for adopting a resolution that virtually legitimizes the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and endorses the foreign occupation of a U.N. member state.

''The United States was successful in bulldozing its way because it offered too many bribes and held out too many threats,'' says Rob Wheeler, a spokesman for theUniting for Peace Coalition. The ''threats,'' he said, were against developing nations in the 15-member Security Council, and the ''bribes'' were the promises made to more powerful nations, which caved in to U.S. pressure.

Taken From: http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0523-01.htm

Azhar to start Open University education program

Cairo,

Dr. Ahmed Omar Hashim, Rector of theAzharUniversity, has said that his university would start the Open Education Program some time next year, adding that the University Council has approved the pilot program, and the focus would be on imparting correct religious education. One of the conditions of joining the program is that the student must have obtained an Azharian secondary education certificate or its equivalent.

Taken From: http://www.islamicnews.org/english/en_daily.html