OIC FMs to meet in Turkey on 22nd

ISLAMABAD: Turkey has decided to convene an emergency huddle of Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul on Friday (March 22) to discuss Christchurch reprehensible and heinous attack on Muslim worshipers during the Juma prayers resulted in assassination of fifty worshipers.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as Chairman of the OIC has taken decision for convening the meeting and all Muslim countries are being informed about it with the request that their Foreign Minister should attend it without fail. It is likely that Pakistan will be represented by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi who is leaving for Beijing today (Sunday) on three days important trip to that country. He will be proceeding to Istanbul from Beijing.

Interestingly Malaysian Prime Minister Mahatar bin Muhammad will be here on that day. He will be reaching Pakistan on Thursday for three day stay and Foreign Minister Qureshi will be on a foreign trip. He will join the Malaysian Prime Minister on 23rd of March on Pakistan Day’s celebrations. It will be Mahatir’s last day of the stay in Islamabad.

Highly placed diplomatic sources told The News here on Saturday that the Council will take stock of the situation developed due to the gory attack and evolve strategy to deal with it. The Turkish President has discussed with several leaders of the Muslim countries about the situation and he will make an important statement about it in the opening session of the CFM that will be chaired by him, the sources said. In the meanwhile government of Pakistan is considering announcing a day of mourning for the victims of Christchurch where ten Pakistanis are among the martyred. The decision in this regard will be taken by tomorrow (Monday). The national flag will be lowered to half mast and all celebratory functions will be canceled for that day. Pakistan’s diplomatic missions across the world will place condolence book to receive the people sentiments in different parts of the world.

Another proposal is also under consideration where the whole nation will observe one minute silence and it will be led by the political leadership of the country. Quran Khawani under special arrangements will be done on the day. The Foreign Office has made special arrangements for providing assistance to the close relatives of the deceased of the Christchurch. The government has decided to extend all sorts of help for bringing the dead bodies of the victims from New Zealand. The officials concerned have established contact with the relatives of the deceased for provision of assistance, the sources added.

Sources pointed out that final decisions for day of mourning will be determined by the Prime Minister as he is discussing the subject with the relevant authorities.