FM urges OIC to forge collective response to meet challenges faced by Muslim Ummah
Pakistan
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi is chairing 48th session of the OIC Council of FMs
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has called for a collective response of the Muslim Ummah to address common challenges under the theme of Partnering for Unity, Justice, and Development.
He was delivering his opening statement after assuming chairmanship of the 48th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Islamabad on Tuesday.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi emphasized on jointly addressing the challenges and conflicts within the Ummah and uniting for justice for the rights of Muslims under occupation and conflicts with countries beyond our Ummah. He said this should also include the urgency of addressing the pervasive Islamophobia facing Muslims in non-Muslim majority countries.
He also underlined partnering for development by effectively addressing the triple global crises of COVID-19, development, and climate change.
The Foreign Minister said we must work to prevent outside interference in the Muslim World as we alone can find solutions to internal fissures and challenges.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Muslims of Palestine and the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir are still reeling under abominable subjugation. For the last seven decades, they have struggled to achieve their inalienable right to self-determination.
Highlighting the grave human rights situation in IIOJK, he said the RSS-BJP Hindutva-inspired government in India has unleashed a reign of terror by an occupation force of 900,000 in IIOJK since 5 August 2019. He said Indian actions violate the resolutions of the UN Security Council and the OIC on Jammu and Kashmir.
The Foreign Minister also called for a permanent solution to the Palestinian question with the pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the capital of a viable, independent, and contiguous Palestinian State.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi said to forge Partnership for Development, the OIC countries must mobilize international support for a comprehensive strategy for vaccine equity regarding Covid-19, increased development financing, accelerated climate action, and resolute action against illicit financial flows. He also called for promoting trade, research and technological innovation in the Muslim world.
Drawing attention toward the evolving situation in Afghanistan, he said addressing the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and preventing a collapse of the Afghan economy must remain our top priorities. He said we must also encourage and support the efforts of the Afghan authorities to eliminate DAISH and other terrorist groups like TTP, ETIM, IMU, and Al-Qaida.
The Foreign Minister said we must guard against spoilers that wish to continue destabilizing Afghanistan and using its territory to promote terrorism. A peaceful, stable, inclusive, prosperous and connected Afghanistan is in the best interest of us all.
