OIC meeting enhanced Pakistan prestige: FM

Islamabad: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Thursday said the highly successful conduct of the 48th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Islamabad has further enhanced the prestige of Pakistan in the whole Ummah.

Talking to the media persons in Islamabad on Thursday, he said the OIC foreign ministers also expressed goodwill for Pakistan.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi said being chair of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, Pakistan will summon another ministerial meeting to develop mechanisms for implementation of resolutions passed by the OIC.

Expressing serious concerns over the situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the OIC meeting also agreed upon an action plan to forcefully highlight the outstanding dispute. He said the action plan lays out the role of the OIC Secretariat in this regard.

Foreign Minister Qureshi urged the people to come out to attend the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf’s public gathering in Islamabad on March 27, for sake of democracy and country’s future and to choose between good and evil.

The foreign minister, also the vice-chairman of PTI, said Prime Minister Imran Khan had given a clear message that the people would have to choose whether to stand with good or evil.

He said on one side there was a gang of opportunists who had nothing to do with national interest or economy rather they were together just to pave way for the ouster of Imran Khan.

“They neither have one manifesto nor the party flag. They have panicked the whole nation,” he remarked.

He urged the people to ensure their presence at Parade Ground of Islamabad on March 27.

“We stand with Imran Khan and democracy. We are in contact with the people including from Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir. A sea of people would emerge from KP,” he hoped.

To a question, the foreign minister said the government was in contact with the coalition parties. They are independent and would make the right decision at the right time, he commented.

“We have to see as to whom the MQM will support if they part ways with the PTI. Will they support PPP against which they were protesting for discrimination against Karachi and embezzlement of funds? The whole of Sindh is protesting the PPP’s local government legislation. They (MQM) are sensible and mature people and I don’t think they will support them (PPP),” he remarked.

The foreign minister said the successful holding of the 48th Session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s Council of Foreign Ministers had enhanced the stature of Pakistan in the whole Muslim world.

He said being a chair of the OIC-CFM, Pakistan would convene another ministerial meeting to discuss the ways forward for the implementation of the OIC resolutions.

Moreover, while expressing concerns over the human rights abuses in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Foreign Minister Qureshi said the CFM had agreed upon an action plan to effectively highlight other disputes too.