OIC’s Pakistan flavour

Categorical admission by PM Imran that the Muslim world had failed Palestine, Kashmir was a thought-provoking syllabus

The duo happenings in Islamabad of OIC Foreign Ministers’ moot and the Pakistan Day Parade will long be remembered. It was a moment of solidarity and delight as Pakistan proudly exhibited its military might, apart from showcasing its civil face in its full bloom. Forty-six foreign ministers, senior representation from two other countries and 800 delegates went on to jot and endorse the 70-point Islamabad Declaration, which in unequivocal terms stood with the struggle for statehood and self-determination in Palestine and Kashmir, respectively, apart from dilating measures and concerns to address warfare issues in many of the boiling states in the Middle East and Africa. The OIC forum also discussed terrorism and Islamophobia and left behind a remarkable print in calling for immediate socio-economic measures to uplift the Muslim world from the plight it is in. The presence of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi as a special guest among the luminaries of the Islamic world was a significant power-brokering equation, and will have long-term returns as the rising superpower accustoms itself with the 57-member Muslim bloc in times to come.

Prime Minister Imran Khan had wisely, and in the best of his acumen, laid down the agenda of the conference in his keynote address, touching upon where the direction should be headed. The delegates promptly took a cue, and the consensus on looking from the same prism was forthcoming. The categorical admission by PM Imran that the Muslim world had failed Palestine and Kashmir was a thought-provoking syllabus, and underlined the necessity of urgency to address it in all totality. Likewise, by hinting at the culture of lackluster when it comes to defending the true teachings of Islam, without succumbing under pressure, the PM made a generous case of practicability to rewrite the rules of engagement with the non-Muslim world by making them realise that Islam has nothing to do with terrorism. Pakistan’s success at the UN in marking anti-Islamophobia day was proudly boasted as a feather in the cap. The conference has much on its hand to deliberate, and rightly so they did in the best of the conscience by living up to the expectations of more than 1.5 billion Muslim populace around the world.

The Islamabad Declaration is now in need of being implemented in letter and spirit. This is for the first time in OIC history that not a single discord was evident, and there wasn’t either any explicit difference of opinion among member states. This truly comes as a credit of diplomacy to Pakistan, and at the same time underscores the maturity that has set in in the 57-member bloc, which is rich in resources and manpower and spans over a dynamic geography in more than four continents. Pakistan has always been a great champion of Muslim world’s supremacy, and it has done its bit in all enthusiasm. This is reflected from the fact that Islamabad was host to two conferences back to back from December to March, pushing on the OIC to address the exigency in Afghanistan, Kashmir, Ukraine and beyond. While Pakistan possesses one of the best military muscles, as the lone Muslim nuclear power, the OIC delegates were more than convinced of its supremacy and indispensability for the Muslim world’s glory as they watched armed contingents march-past with a humble salute.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 25^th, 2022.

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