ISLAMABAD 25 Nov 2020 : Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi will lead Pakistan’s delegation to the 47^th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) being held in Niamey, Niger, on 27-28 November 2020.Representatives of 57 OIC Member States and 5 Observer States are expected to attend the meeting.

During the two-day session, the CFM will discuss a wide range of issues confronting the Muslim world with particular focus on combating Islamophobia and defamation of the religions; Palestine; Jammu &Kashmir dispute; situation of Muslim communities and minorities in non-OIC states; OIC 2025 Programme of Action;and various matters related to promotion of civilizational, cultural and religious dialogue. The Council will also hold a brainstorming session on “Security and Humanitarian Challenges Confronting African Sahel States Members of the OIC.”

During the visit, the Foreign Minister will highlight aggravating human rights and humanitarian situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJ&K) in the wake of India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019 and subsequent measures to change the demographic structure of the occupied territory.

The Foreign Minister will also highlight rising incidents of Islamophobia and hate speech against Muslims and emphasize the need for unity of the Islamic world to combat the scourge of Islamophobia and promote inter-faith harmony.

On the sidelines, the Foreign Minister will hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts/ heads of delegations of member states.

The OIC is the collective voice of the Muslim Ummah. It the second largest international organization after the United Nations. With 57 members and five observers, the OIC membership spans over four continents. The organization has completed 50 years of its existence. Pakistan is one of the founding members of the OIC and has actively contributed towards the objectives and goals of the OIC.