ISLAMABAD: The 48th Session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’sCouncil of Foreign Ministers concluded Wednesday with “resounding successon all counts” by adopting 140 resolutions on Kashmir, Palestine, and otherglobal issues, besides appointing a special envoy on Islamophobia.
Hosted by Pakistan from March 22-23 and attended by 46 ministerial-leveldelegations and 800 delegates from OIC member and observer states, andinternational and regional organizations, the moot adopted 20 resolutionssponsored or co-sponsored by Pakistan on Jammu and Kashmir, peace andsecurity in South Asia, UN Security Council reform, Muslim minorities,situation in Afghanistan, Islamophobia and countering terrorism.
This was the first time that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended theOIC-CFM moot as a special guest.
The illicit financial flows, combatting corruption, COVID-19 response,Pakistan’s 75th anniversary celebrations were also the subjects of theresolutions sponsored or co-sponsored by Pakistan.
140 resolutions encompassed the entire range of political, security,humanitarian, economic, social, legal and financial issues; Muslimminorities, Islamophobia, arms control, terrorism, COVID-19 response,illicit financial flows and corruption, mediation, OIC reforms.
The CFM moot which Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said had elevatedPakistan’s stature, adopted a forceful resolution on Kashmir disputebesides a comprehensive joint communique and an action plan by the ContactGroup on Kashmir as well as a strong resolution on Palestine.
The operationalization of OIC Humanitarian Trust Fund on Afghanistan, theresolution on threats to peace and security in South Asia – grave concernsover Indian missile launch incident of March 9; Pakistan’s proposal toconvene a ministerial conference to identify mechanisms and tools forpromotion of peace and prevention of conflicts in the Muslim world are alsoamong the achievements by the summit.
Read Top Stories
“The conference was a resounding success on all counts – fromorganizational and management points of view to substantive preparationsand outcomes,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar said in his pressbriefing.
He said coinciding with the 75th anniversary of independence, theconference was a landmark in Pakistan’s history and in the context of itsleading role in the Islamic world. It was a great event for Pakistan’sdiplomacy, he added.
He said the meeting took place in the backdrop of conflicts and tensionsaround the world, persistent denial of justice, and rising inequalities.Therefore, Pakistan’s presentation of an overarching theme: “Partnering forUnity, Justice and Development” meant a realistic appraisal of currentchallenges and opportunities faced by the Muslim Ummah.
He said the CFM once again recognized Pakistan’s leading role in the OIC.
This CFM was the 7th high-level OIC meeting convened by Pakistan since theorganizations’ establishment in 1969: two summits in February 1974 andMarch 1997; five CFMs in December 1970, May 1980, April 1993, May 2007, andMarch 2022, besides three extraordinary sessions.