OIC secretary general arrives in Islamabad for 3-day visit

Delegation level meeting with FM Bilawal to discuss Kashmir, Islamophobia and Afghan humanitarian situation

Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha accompanied by a five-member delegation arrived in Islamabad on Saturday on a three-day official visit.

The visit, taking place at the invitation of Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, will be Taha's first country visit since assuming office in November 2021.

They will have a delegation-level meeting to discuss issues on the agenda of OIC including Jammu and Kashmir, Islamophobia and the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.

During his visit, the OIC secretary general will call on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and also visit Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

The OIC secretary-general will also meet the minister of Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan affairs, the minister of information technology, and the minister of commerce.

Taha's visit will enable an exchange of views on how the OIC can galvanize itself further to deliver on the aspirations of the 1.9 billion Muslims that it represents.

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According to the Foreign Office, the bilateral talks will also be "an opportunity to exchange views on vital issues of economic, social, and technological cooperation among OIC member countries”.

It added that as a founding member of the OIC, Pakistan would continue to make efforts to promote Islamic solidarity, unity, and dialogue in the organisation.

The FO added that as the chair of the council of foreign ministers, Pakistan has worked towards fully activating the OIC peace and security architecture to resolve disputes and conflicts and established the OIC Trust Fund to channel dire humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.

Further, it highlighted that Pakistan provided a leadership role to address the abhorrent phenomena of Islamophobia and promoted cooperation between OIC member states in the domain of trade, commerce, food security, science, and technology.