“We are 1.5 billion people and yet our voice to stop this blatant injustice is insignificant”: Pakistan PM Imran Khan
Prime Minister Imran Khan, during his keynote address at the 48th Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Islamabad on Tuesday, emphasized that strong voice of the OIC as the representative body of 1.5 billion population is crucial to address the current challenges faced by the Muslim Ummah including the issues of Kashmir and Palestine.
The 48th summit of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of OIC took place on Tuesday in the Parliament House, Islamabad where a number of international delegates and dignitaries including the non-OIC organizational members participated in the session.
Pakistan PM’s keynote address
The PM’s keynote started with felicitations for the Muslim world on the UNGA’s resolution against Islamophobia, declaring March 15 as International Day to Combat Islamophobia.
He said the world was now realizing that Islamophobia was a reality and more needed to be done to combat it.
While voicing his grievances regarding the current challenges of Muslims, the premier said, “We have failed both the Palestinians and the people of Kashmir. I am sad to say that we have been able to make no impact at all.”
“We (Muslims) are 1.5 billion people and yet our voice to stop this blatant injustice is insignificant” he added.
The PM showed concern that unless the OIC was united on major issues of the Muslim community, human rights abuses would keep occurring such as the “daylight robbery in Palestine”.
During his speech, the PM also discussed the prevailing situation of war-torn Afghanistan, urging the OIC to include Afghan people in the international community as they “are strong enough to evolve and go in the right direction.”
FM Qureshi highlight Kashmir and Palestine
Earlier in the opening speech, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the chair of this summit, highlighted the role of OIC in tackling with the challenges faced by the Muslim world today.
“It is a bridge amongst the Muslim countries and the international community,” he said, urging the OIC to forge a collective response for the rights of Muslims under occupation and conflicts with countries within and beyond the Ummah.
Qureshi noted the prolonged foreign occupation along with the abominable subjugation faced by the Muslim nations in the Palestine and Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) is one of the major causes of resentment among the Muslims.
“More than two-thirds of all refugees worldwide come from just five countries: Syria, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Myanmar, and Somalia.” He said while mentioning that Muslim countries are hosting the largest number of refugees [presently].
Key OIC delegates
OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha, Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, Islamic Development Bank President Dr Muhammad Suleiman Al-Jasser, Chinese State Councilor, and Foreign Minister Wangi Yi also addressed the session. A video message by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was also shown at the conference.
OIC Secretary-General concerned about Kashmiris and Palestinians
OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha expressed serious concerns over the plight of Palestinian and Kashmiri people in his address.
He called for redoubling efforts in support of the Right to Self-Determination of Kashmiri people as per the UN Security Council resolutions.
China desires more cooperation with Islamic world
OIC moot, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also spoke to the summit saying, “China can never forget the support of the Islamic world in the United Nations.”
“China stands with the Palestinian people for a two-state solution.” He affirmed.
Talking about the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Yi said that China supports negotiations between the two countries.
UN Secretary-General speech
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, in his video message to the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers’ meeting, said the United Nations and OIC enjoy a decade-old relationship based on the shared belief on the values of multilateral cooperation, dialogue, and solidarity.
He further added that across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and beyond, the two organizations have worked together to nurture a culture of peace, tolerance, and understanding.