Amid rising political temperatures, Pakistan all set to host OIC FMs moot next week

• The session will coincide with 75th anniversary celebrations of Pakistan's Independence Day, says Foreign Office 
• The summit will also discuss developments in Afghanistan and the prevailing situation Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, says OIC.
• The OIC FMs will also discuss developments in Yemen, Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Syria, and other regions during the summit.

ISLAMABAD: The government is all set to host a two-day meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Islamabad from Tuesday amid rising political temperatures in the country.

The 48th summit of the OIC-CFM will be held on March 22 and 23 under the theme: "Building Partnerships for Unity, Justice, and Development."

Taking to Twitter, Foreign Office Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar said the session will coincide with 75th anniversary celebrations of Pakistan's Independence Day. 

Pakistan has invited the worthy guests to attend Pakistan Day parade on Wednesday and witness the professional capability of Pakistan's armed forces and the traditional floats of all the provinces, reflecting the national unity, he said.

Meanwhile, in a statement, OIC said the session will address many topics and the activities of the OIC General Secretariat on implementing the resolutions adopted on various issues in the Islamic world, including the issue of Palestine and Al-Quds.

The summit will also discuss developments in Afghanistan and its humanitarian consequences for the Afghan people, and the prevailing situation in Indian illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, read the statement.

The statement further said many African issues will also be on the summit's agenda, including the situation in Mali, the Sahel region, and Lake Chad, and the situation in Central Africa and the Republic of Guinea.

It said the OIC Foreign Ministers will also discuss developments in Yemen, Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Syria, and other regions during the summit.

For this crucial meeting, the Parliament House has been selected as the venue, where the plenary sessions will be held.

Meanwhile, talking to newsmen in Islamabad, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi the OIC session is a significant as it is being held at an important phase when the Muslim Ummah is confronted with a host of challenges, including the Kashmir and Palestine issues.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi said various global challenges like economic contraction and its fallout, and climate change, will also come under consideration.

More than 100 resolutions will be considered during the session.

'No one can dare stop OIC FMs moot'

A day earlier, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad had said that the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers session was an international event in the country and no one could dare create any hindrance in it.

Talking to a private TV channel, he challenged the opposition to dare stop the moot, adding that the state would provide full protection to it. He strongly reacted to Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s warning of staging a sit-in at the National Assembly and blocking the OIC Council of FMs session in the Capital.

He said they would handle the opposition in a ‘polite’ manner. “We will send them back in a civilised manner,” he added. Rashid said the participants in the moot were the guests of Pakistan.

PTI Central Secretary General and Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar strongly reacted to the statement made by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari against the OIC Conference, alleging he was always afraid to speak in defence of people of Islam.

“Bilawal Zardari! We knew that you are always afraid to speak in defence of the people of Islam and their rights, but we did not expect you to express such anti-Muslim sentiments by openly threatening to disrupt the OIC meeting,” he argued.

He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had knocked at the international conscience to take measures against Islamophobia and protect the sanctity of Holy Prophet (PBUH), while the entire Muslim world supported the resolution, tabled by Pakistan in the UN General Assembly.

He noted that the support of the United Nations for the resolution of Pakistan and its willingness to make concerted efforts to eradicate Islamophobia at the international level was a historic achievement for the Muslim Ummah on which the frustration among the opposition was significant.

Asad emphasised that the conference would be held in any form which would show the solidarity of the Muslim Ummah and the whole world would see it. “If the PPP chairman or his followers can stop it, then stop it,” he said.