Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha on Monday reviewed the agenda of 48th Council of Foreign Ministers and exchanged views on the main outcomes expected from the conference.
They also discussed the issues confronting the Islamic Ummah and the role of the OIC in that regard.
The OIC secretary general is visiting Islamabad for participation in the 48th Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM).
The foreign minister highlighted the special significance of the 48th OIC-CFM for Pakistan, as it was coinciding with the celebration of the 75th year of Pakistan’s independence.
Whilst highlighting the grim human rights and humanitarian situation in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), the foreign minister expressed appreciation for OIC’s principled position and consistent support for the just struggle of Kashmiris for their right to self-determination.
Welcoming the recent adoption of the resolution at the United Nations General Assembly designating 15 March as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, the foreign minister lauded the support extended by the OIC and its member states to Pakistan’s initiative.
He commended the proposal to appoint OIC’s Special Envoy on Islamophobia to help coordinate the work of the Organization and its member states for addressing discrimination and stigmatization of Muslims all over the world.
Referring to the humanitarian and economic crises faced by the Afghan people, Qureshi stressed the importance of the implementation of decisions taken at the extraordinary session of the OIC-CFM held in Islamabad on December 19 last year and welcomed the operationalization of the Humanitarian Trust Fund for Afghanistan.
The OIC secretary general assured the foreign minister of the OIC Secretariat’s full support and cooperation during Pakistan’s chairmanship of CFM.
Qureshi stressed the need to galvanize collective efforts at the international level to end the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
He said owing to the humanitarian crisis, the people of Afghanistan needed the help and expressed confidence that the OIC countries would play a significant role in raising contributions for the fund.
The foreign minister felicitated the President, Islamic Development Bank, and his team for launching the Trust Fund well within the stipulated timeframe of three months.
He also acknowledged the efforts being made by the OIC Secretary-General and his Special Envoy for Afghanistan for galvanizing international humanitarian assistance for the Afghan people.
He emphasized the need to redouble the efforts in view of the urgent and ascendant humanitarian needs of the Afghan people.
OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha said the Afghans faced difficult times and called for concerted efforts to mitigate their sufferings.
He said the OIC remained committed to the noble cause of supporting the Afghan people and will spare no effort in implementing to the full the special resolution on Afghanistan issued by the last extraordinary session of the Council of Foreign Ministers held in December 2021 in Islamabad.
He urged the OIC member states, stakeholders, and partners to come on board and make contributions to the humanitarian trust fund for Afghanistan through the bank account reserved for this fund within the Islamic Development Bank.
President Islamic Development Bank Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser welcomed the signing of the Charter and stressed the need to help the people of Afghanistan in the hour of need.
He called for empowering youth and women in the OIC countries.
In addition to its continued, multi-faceted economic and developmental assistance, Pakistan has already announced an assistance package of Pak Rupees five billion for Afghanistan.
