Pakistan urges immediate ceasefire in Gaza at OIC meeting

At the recent Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Yaoundé, Cameroon, Foreign Office Secretary Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi called for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza amid ongoing Israeli military operations. 

Leading the delegation at the two-day conference held on August 29-30, Qazi condemned the escalation of violence in Gaza and the West Bank, emphasising the dire humanitarian crisis resulting from the conflict. He highlighted that over 40,000 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 2 million displaced due to the hostilities.

Qazi asserted that the OIC must take decisive action in response to the Israeli military campaign and its impact on Islam’s sacred sites. He called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza, and measures to prevent the conflict from spreading further across the Middle East. 

Additionally, he urged accountability for Israeli actions that have violated the sovereignty and territorial integrity of neighbouring states such as Iran and Lebanon.

The government has consistently raised the issue at international forums, including the United Nations. The country has also sent multiple aid shipments to support Palestinians affected by the conflict.

During the meeting, Qazi addressed the broader challenges facing the Muslim world, particularly the rise in Islamophobia. He noted a global crisis characterised by attacks on mosques, desecration of the Holy Qur’an, and discrimination against Muslims. 

He urged the OIC, through its special envoy on Islamophobia, to collaborate with the United Nations to develop an action plan to combat these issues effectively.