Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif lauded the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for its principled position and consistent support for the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. On his first foreign trip since taking office in November of last year, the prime minister met OIC Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha in Pakistan. When speaking with the OIC Secretary General, PM Shehbaz brought up the OIC’s support for the relevant UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions as well as the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. The grave human rights and humanitarian situation in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir were emphasised by the prime minister (IIOJK).PM Shehbaz welcomed the secretary general’s historic trip to Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and the Line of Control (LOC), stressing that it would be a clear indication of OIC support for the Kashmiri people in their righteous struggle for the right to self-determination.
The unwavering support of Pakistan’s people and government for the Palestinian people and their cause was again reaffirmed by the prime minister. He reaffirmed that the pre-1967 boundary, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, must serve as the foundation for any solution to the Palestine issue. Since the Extraordinary Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) in Islamabad in December 2021, the OIC has increased its engagement with Afghanistan, and he urged the secretary-general to speed up efforts to address and ease the humanitarian issues faced by the Afghan people. PM Shehbaz emphasised once more the significance of halting the spread of anti-Muslim prejudices and efforts to diminish the sanctity of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).
The secretary general of the OIC reaffirmed the OIC’s unwavering support for resolving the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the pertinent resolutions of the UN Security Council. He also expressed his sorrow for the deaths and destruction of livelihoods brought on by the recent floods in Pakistan that were a result of climate change. However, the secretary general promised the prime minister that Pakistan will have the full backing and assistance of the OIC Secretariat for the remainder of its tenure as the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers Chair (CFM).
