Pakistan has assumed the chairmanship of the 48th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers currently in progress at the parliament house in Islamabad. The chairmanship was handed over by Niger Foreign Minister Ibrahim Yacoubou.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi is chairing the session.
In his opening remarks, Qureshi urged the OIC to forge a collective response to meet challenges faced by the Muslim Ummah. He said the OIC was the collective voice of nearly two billion Muslims.
Read more: 48th session of OIC Council of Foreign Ministers commences in Islamabad
“It is a bridge amongst the Muslim countries and the international community. Promoting solidarity and cooperation within the Muslim Ummah is one of the central pillars of Pakistan’s foreign policy,” he said adding that Pakistan’s overarching goal as chairman of the 48th session of the OIC meeting shall be to further solidify the cooperation amongst the Muslim countries.
Alluding to the situation in Palestine and Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the Muslims of Palestine and the occupied Jammu and Kashmir were still reeling under subjugation. He said, “We must go beyond adopting resolutions and take concrete steps towards the permanent solutions of these disputes.”
The foreign minister said Pakistan desired to further strengthen OIC’s role. He said Pakistan raised voice against Islamophobia. The strategy to deal with Islamophobia would be devised by the OIC, he added.
He also said that the global peace was at stake because of tension between the east and west.
