Pakistan Foreign Minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi warned the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which is led by Saudi Arabia to stop their excuses on the convening of a meeting of its Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) on Jammu Kashmir.
In a talk show, Mr. Qureshi said, “I am once again respectfully telling OIC that a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers is our expectation. If you cannot convene it, then I’ll be compelled to ask Prime Minister Imran Khan to call a meeting of the Islamic countries that are ready to stand with us on the issue of Kashmir and support the oppressed Kashmiris.”
He also said that if OIC defers or fails in summoning the CFM meeting then Pakistan will be ready for a session outside OIC. In response to another question, he said Pakistan will not wait any further.
According to the GVS reports under new domicile law that was implemented this year in Jammu Kashmir, it states that more than 25000 domicile certificates have been issued by the Indian government to non-Kashmiri residents which can bring demographic changes in the Union Territory.
Reports say that Saudi Arabia’s reluctance has been a major setback for OIC to accept Pakistan’s request especially on Kashmir made by its foreign minister. For OIC to make any move it is very important to have Riyadh’s support, which is dominated by Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries.
Ever since the government of India abrogated the Article 370 of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the erstwhile state into two union territories, Pakistan has been pushing for the foreign ministers’ meeting of the 57-member bloc of Muslim countries, which is the second-largest intergovernmental body after the United Nations.
In another statement, Mr. Qureshi explained how Pakistan accepted Saudi Arabia’s request to skip the Kuala Lampur summit and how the Muslims in Pakistan demand Riyadh to “show leadership on the issue”.
There has been months-long frustration in Islamabad over the inaction of OIC on Kashmir. With reference to this Prime Minister, Imran Khan voiced his concern while speaking at a think-tank during his visit to Malaysia in February.
Imran Khan in his address in Malaysia said, “The reason is that we have no voice and there is a total division amongst [us]. We can’t even come together as a whole on the OIC meeting on Kashmir.”
Mr. Qureshi made it clear that he was not being emotional and fully understood the implications of his statement, where he said its right if he is taking a position despite their good ties with Saudi Arabia.
Mr. Qureshi said that he will no more involve in the diplomatic niceties but they have their own sensitivities which Gulf countries need to realize.
He further added, “We cannot stay silent anymore on the sufferings of Kashmir.”
OIC is an international organization that came into existence during 1969, with 57 total member states, and right now is the second-largest intergovernmental body after the UN. This organization works on the principle of being the collective voice of the Muslim world and works to “safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony”.
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