FM Qureshi leaves for Niger to attend OIC council of foreign ministers

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Wednesday left for Niger to attend the 47th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of OIC beginning from Friday.

President Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Masood, Secretary FO, Sohail Mehmood and other senior officers are accompanied by the FM.

During the two-day session, the council of foreign ministers will discuss a wide range of issues confronting the Muslim world with a particular focus on combating Islamophobia and defamation of the religions; Palestine; Jammu &Kashmir dispute; the situation of Muslim communities and minorities in non-OIC states.

The council will also hold a brainstorming session on “Security and Humanitarian Challenges Confronting African Sahel States Members of the OIC.”

During the visit, the FM will highlight aggravating human rights and humanitarian situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJ&K) in the wake of India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019 and subsequent measures to change the demographic structure of the occupied territory.

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FM Qureshi will also highlight rising incidents of Islamophobia and hate speech against Muslims and emphasize the need for unity of the Islamic world to combat the scourge of Islamophobia and promote inter-faith harmony.

On the sidelines, he will hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts and heads of delegations of member states.

Earlier in a video message, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the meeting would deliberate upon the challenges faced by the Muslim Ummah and other important issues.

He said he would present Pakistan’s stance on the changes taking place on the international landscape.