Muslim world but are rapidly increasing. In the Eastern Middle East, Iran has a high level of youth literacy at 98%, whereas Iraq's youth literacy rate has sharply declined from 85% to 57%, during the American-led war and subsequent occupation. Indonesia, the largest Muslim-majority country in the world, has a very high youth literacy rate at 99%. In Afghanistan, seminaries are operated by politically active religious organizations and have taken the place of basic education not provided and funded by the government. A 2016 Pew Research Center study about religion and education around the world found that Muslims have the lowest average
Pakistan and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Pakistan and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Pakistan continues to enjoy a privileged status in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC, formerly the Organisation of the Islamic Conference). In terms of population, it is the OIC's second largest member. Being the only Muslim country with nuclear weapons, having the seventh-largest standing military force, through research at NESCOM and DESTO and a large labour workforce working in various Muslim countries, play a role in its prominence. It was under the pretext of the 2nd summit of OIC held in Lahore between 22–24 February 1974, that Pakistan recognised the former or ex-Eastern