Qureshi to attend OIC foreign ministers moot in Niger

FM Qureshi says he will present Pakistan's stance on changes taking place on the international landscape

ISLAMABAD:

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi will leave for Niger on Wednesday to represent Pakistan at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers’ meeting.

In a video message, FM Qureshi said the meeting would deliberate upon the challenges faced by the Muslim community and other important issues and added that he would present Pakistan's stance on the changes taking place on the international landscape.

"The Muslims are perturbed over the rising incidents of Islamophobia," the foreign minister said, "Pakistan has a very categorical and clear stance on the matter."

Referring to the Indian atrocities in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) and Indian state terrorism in Pakistan, the FM said OIC was the appropriate forum to highlight Indian brutality against innocent Kashmiri people.

The foreign minister added that on the sidelines of the OIC meeting, he would also hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from other Islamic countries.

On November 12, Foreign Minister Qureshi held a telephonic conversation with OIC Secretary General Dr Yousef A Al-Othaimeen and discussed a range of issues including rising Islamophobia and Kashmir dispute.

“The two sides discussed a wide range of issues related to the Muslim Ummah. The foreign minister highlighted that, as a founding member of the organisation, Pakistan attached utmost importance to the OIC and the issues of concern to the Muslim world," a Foreign Office statement quoted Qureshi.

The foreign minister noted the rise in incidents of Islamophobia and hate speech against Muslims, including desecration of the Holy Quran and reprinting of blasphemous caricatures, which had seriously hurt the sentiments of Muslims around the world.

He also highlighted the importance of collective endeavours to combat the scourge of Islamophobia.

Qureshi further apprised the secretary-general of the worsening human rights and humanitarian situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) since New Delhi illegal and unilateral actions of revoking its autonomous status in August last year.