ISTANBUL, 14 APR, (DNA) – Two-day Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit began in Istanbul on Thursday to devise a strategy to combat terrorism and Islamophobia.

Opening the session, Secretary General of OIC Iyad Ameen Madni urged honest solutions to the problems, being faced by Muslim nations.

He focussed on a number of issues like terrorism, suicide attacks, kidnapping and maligning Muslims for whatever was happening in non-Muslim countries.

He also urged the member states to stand united against terrorism and counter the propaganda waged to malign Islam in the name of terrorism.

Secretary General said people in Jammu and Kashmir are striving over decades for their right to self-determination and the parties to this issue must respect the United Nations resolutions on Kashmir.

President Mamnoon Hussain has stressed the need for coordinated efforts by the Islamic world to eliminate terrorism.

He was addressing 13th OIC summit in Istanbul on Thursday. Mamnoon Hussain said terrorism is a global issue and should not be bracketed with any religion.

He said injustice and colonial mindset are giving strength to terrorism. The president said resolution of Kashmir and Palestine issues are must for elimination of the menace of terrorism and extremism. He said the issue of Kashmir should be resolved according to the UN resolutions.

Earlier, the 13th Islamic Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) kicked off early today in the Turkish city of Istanbul.

The summit, which is held under the theme “Unity and Solidarity for Justice and Peace”, is chaired by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Palestinian issue and the Arab-Israeli conflict, as well as the discord in the Islamic world, will figure high in the meeting of Muslim leaders, an OIC statement said Wednesday.

The statement added that topics of migration, Muslim communities’ condition in non-member states, counter terrorism and extremism, Islamofobia, the humanitarian situation in the Islamic world and OIC’s ten-year plan are also expected to feature prominently during the talks.

The event gathered more than 30 heads of states and government, including Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour, who is deputizing for His Majesty King Abdullah II.

According to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency, this is the first time Turkey host the two-day summit since the body’s inception in 1969.

During the summit, Egypt will hand over the presidency of the OIC to Turkey.

The summit is also aimed at boosting cooperation in the education, health and environment domains among member states.

This summit is being held under the slogan of ‘Unity and Solidarity for Peace and Justice’ is deemed to be of utmost importance amidst strife and turmoil in the Muslim countries.

The Islamic world leaders are discussing next ten years ‘Program of Action’ to restore peace for the uplift of their people.

This is the first time Turkey is hosting the two-day summit since the body’s inception in 1969.

Turkey will take over the organization’s chair for the next two years during the summit, which will be held under the theme “Unity and Solidarity for Justice and Peace”.

Earlier, the preparatory meetings were held to devise an agenda, which was fine-tuned at the meeting of the Council of Ministers.

Addressing a news conference, Secretary General OIC Iyad Ameen Madani said the participants will take right steps to alleviate the sufferings of the Ummah.

Advisor on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz also described this summit of ‘pivotal importance’ and foresaw a broader role for the organization in the days to come. =DNA

===========