OIC moot: Qureshi urges end to 'outside interference' in Muslim world

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Tuesday called on the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states to “prevent outside interference in the Muslim World”.

In his speech at the 48th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Qureshi said, “We alone can find solutions to internal fissures and challenges.”

“The key to ending these conflicts and disputes is comprehensive engagement and cooperation among the Islamic countries,” he added.

The foreign minister said the world is witnessing unprecedented turbulence. The recent conflict in Ukraine, which has rekindled East-West tensions, threatens international peace and security, he pointed out.

“A new and destabilizing global arms race is underway. Conflicts, among and within nations, have proliferated. Political and military blocs are vying for more power at the cost of global equilibrium. World trade and growth are declining under the weight of technology wars,” he said.

He said the Muslim world is faced with conflicts in the Middle East, prolonged foreign occupation, and the denial of the right to self-determination, most notably to the people of Palestine and Kashmir.

The Muslim world’s resentment is increasing due to frequent external interventions in Muslim countries, he maintained, adding, “Left unaddressed, these conflicts and disputes undermine our unity and solidarity, expose our countries to foreign interference and intervention, fuel terrorism and extremism, and deflect attention from our development goals and the welfare of our peoples.”

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“In this era of global turmoil, the situation of Muslims in many parts of the world is heart wrenching. Currently, more than 60 percent of all conflicts in the world exist in Muslim countries. From Yemen to Syria to the Sahel, the range of conflicts in the Muslim world and their intensity is palpable. These are festering wounds on the body politic of Islam.”

“More than two-thirds of all refugees worldwide come from just five countries: Syria, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Myanmar, and Somalia. Above all, the Muslim countries are hosting the largest number of refugees.”