ISLAMABAD: Representatives of 46 Islamic nations have confirmed their participation in the 48th Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting to be held in Islamabad later this month, the Pakistani foreign minister said on Saturday.
The OIC is the second-largest intergovernmental organization in the world after the UN. It comprises 57 Muslim member states spread across four continents. It is considered the collective voice of Muslim countries around the world and aims to promote the interests of its member states.
Pakistan will host the 48th foreign minister’s conference on March 22-23, which coincides with the Pakistan Day parade held on March 23 every year to commemorate the Lahore Resolution, which was adopted on the same day in 1940 and laid the foundation for a Muslim-majority state in South Asia. The OIC foreign ministers will be “guests of honor” at the parade.
“The foreign ministers of 46 Islamic countries confirmed their arrival,” Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told reporters. “This number can increase as well.”
OIC foreign ministers were last in Islamabad in December 2021 for an extraordinary session on Afghanistan, which was called by Saudi Arabia. At the end of the conference, an OIC-led Humanitarian Trust Fund for Afghanistan was announced and the OIC Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Kabul appointed.
46 OIC foreign ministers confirm participation in Islamabad conference on March 22-23
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46 OIC foreign ministers confirm participation in Islamabad conference on March 22-23
- Pakistan is hosting the 48th OIC Council of Foreign Ministers meeting this month
- Conference coincides with Pakistan Day parade where OIC FMs will be “guests of honor“
Police in Pakistan’s Karachi say 71 of 75 extortion cases traced as businesses complain of threats
- Builders told provincial authorities this week extortion calls were traced to numbers operating from abroad
- Police say 128 suspects were identified, with 91 arrested and six killed in encounters during investigations
ISLAMABAD: Police in Karachi said on Saturday they traced 71 of 75 confirmed extortion cases this year, arresting 91 suspects and killing six in encounters, amid complaints from businesses about rising threats in Pakistan’s commercial hub.
The disclosure follows recent complaints by builders and developers who told provincial authorities that extortion demands had increased in Karachi, with some calls traced to numbers operating from abroad, prompting assurances of tougher enforcement by the Sindh government.
“In 2025, a total of 171 extortion cases were registered, of which 75 were confirmed as genuine extortion,” police said in a statement. “Of these 75 cases, 71 were traced, representing a 95 percent trace rate.”
According to the report released by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) Karachi, the remaining 96 cases initially registered as extortion were later found to be linked to financial disputes, land and plot conflicts, personal matters, fights and other non-extortion-related disagreements.
Police said 128 suspects were identified in the confirmed extortion cases. Of these, six were killed in encounters with the SIU, while 14 others were arrested in injured condition during operations.
A total of 91 suspects were arrested over the course of the year, the statement said, adding that crackdowns against extortion would continue.
Karachi, Pakistan’s largest and most populous city, is the country’s financial and commercial capital, accounting for a significant share of national revenue, trade and industrial activity.
The city has long struggled with crime, political violence and organized criminal networks, with members of the business community repeatedly warning that extortion poses a persistent threat to investment and economic stability.
