OIC meeting is of huge significance: Shah Mahmood Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Saturday said the upcoming two-day 48th meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Islamabad has assumed huge significance against the backdrop of varying issues faced by the Muslim Ummah.

The foreign minister was addressing the launching ceremony of the official anthem of the 48th meeting of the OIC. Earlier, he launched the anthem along with Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain. 

The anthem has been jointly released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The anthem was sung and recreated by Ali Zafar and produced by Tasawarul Karim Baig.

The foreign minister said it is an honour for Pakistan to host the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers meeting on March 22-23, within a period of few months after the successful hosting of an extraordinary meeting of the OIC-CFM last year. He said the OIC officials would keep arriving on March 21. The two-day session is significant as it is being held at an important phase when the Ummah is confronted with a host of issues, he said, citing the Palestine issue and the Kashmir issue. He said the latter has assumed significance after India’s adoption of an OIC-backed resolution on Islamophobia, he said when the whole Ummah is united on any issue, the result is fruitful.

The whole world agreed to combat this issue and dedicated March 15 as a day to highlight it every year. He said the foreign ministers from the member states of the OIC would also deliberate over the Afghan issue as the country is facing serious humanitarian and economic crises. Other global challenges like economic contraction and its fallout and climate change, etc would also be discussed.

The foreign minister said that more than 100 resolutions would be considered during the two-day session. He expressed the confidence that the member states would develop consensus and a comprehensive way forward after their consultation to address all the issues.

He said that during the extraordinary session of the OIC-CFM, Pakistan had highlighted the situation in Afghanistan and in the upcoming meeting, it would highlight the Kashmir issue once again, urging the world that it could no longer neglect the grave situation there. He said the OIC-CFM would hold deliberations to fully utilize the available resources for the unity and prosperity of the Ummah. The OIC-CFM meeting would be a unique occasion for the whole nation as it would coincide with the Pakistan Day celebrations.

Qureshi said they have invited the worthy guests to attend the Pakistan Day parade and witness the professional capability of Pakistan’s armed forces and the traditional floats of all the provinces, reflecting the national unity.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Information Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said the anthem was authored by Jameel-ud-Din Aali over the old theme of the OIC and composed with the help of the latest technology. The anthem signified the theme of unity among the Muslim Ummah and was influenced with the verses of the Holy Quran.