Pakistan’s deputy PM arrives in Gambia to discuss Gaza, Kashmir at OIC summit

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in Gambia on Wednesday to represent his country at the 15th summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) where he will discuss the situation in Gaza and present Pakistan’s case on Kashmir.

The OIC summits are convened to discuss and address major issues affecting the Muslim world, ranging from political and economic challenges to social and cultural matters.

These summits aim to promote Muslim solidarity in social and political affairs, coordinate efforts to safeguard the interests and well-being of Muslims and work toward resolving conflicts and issues in the Muslim world.

Dar, who also holds the portfolio of external affairs, will first participate in the two-day OIC Council of Foreign Ministers’ meeting beginning Thursday before the summit over the weekend.

“At the Summit, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister will speak about Pakistan’s perspective on the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the right to self-determination of the people of Jammu & Kashmir, imperatives of solidarity and unity of the Ummah, rising Islamophobia, issues of climate change, terrorism and other contemporary global challenges,” the foreign office said in a statement.

“He will underline the need to find collective solutions to challenges confronting the Muslim Ummah,” it added.

The Pakistani foreign office noted the summit was being convened at a critical time for the Muslim world as the war on the people of Gaza was still continuing.

It described it as an important occasion for the OIC leaders to deliberate upon the dire situation in Gaza and project a strong, collective and unified stance on the Palestinian question.

“On the sidelines, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister will hold bilateral meetings with leaders and Foreign Ministers participating in the Summit,” it added.

Courtesy: arabnews