Pakistan to host next OIC meeting on March 22: Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said the meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will be held on March 22 in Islamabad.

"We will celebrate our 75th Pakistan Day with our brothers and the OIC Foreign Ministers Council will attend the March 23 parade as guest,” said Qureshi while addressing a high tea event organized in honour of the ambassadors of Muslim countries by Special Aide to Prime Minister on Religious Harmony and Middle East Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi here on Thursday. Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaisar also attended the event. On this occasion, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf Saeed Al-Maliki represented the OIC.

Speaking at the function, Ashrafi and Qureshi said the solution to all problems of the Muslim Ummah including Palestine and Kashmir lies in the unity and solidarity of the Islamic world. They said Pakistan is grateful for the cooperation of all Islamic countries. They said Pakistan has been playing its responsible role in solving the problems like extremism, terrorism and Islamophobia.

They said Pakistan has been making endeavours to avert a humanitarian tragedy in Afghanistan. “With Pakistan's efforts, the entire world, including Saudi Arabia, is trying to help Afghanistan today.”

Asad Qaiser said: “Afghanistan is our brother and we are cooperating with it for the cause of peace. “The parliament is also playing its role in this regard and will continue to do so,” he said.

Nawaf Saeed Al-Maliki said Saudi Arabia will continue providing humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan at all levels and thanked Pakistan for hosting the OIC Foreign Ministers Council meeting. “Khadim-e-Harmain Al-Sharifain Shah Salman bin Abdul Aziz and and Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman have given clear instructions that every effort should be made to help the people of Afghanistan.”