Pakistan’s vital role in the OIC
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Pakistan has hosted the 48th foreign ministers’ conference of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) at a time the Islamic world faces multiple challenges. This is the second OIC meeting at that level in Islamabad in three months. The OIC is the second largest international organization after the United Nations, and being chair of the global body affords Pakistan an opportunity to play a proactive role in the Islamic world and beyond.
No less important is the fact that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the moot as a special guest. The conference coincided with the 75th year of Pakistani independence and the National Day parade-- an occasion when the armed forces of Pakistan, one of the most powerful in the world, displayed their latest arsenal and skills. The latest fighter aircraft, built with Chinese collaboration, was on live display, showing off its maneuverability and potential.
Pakistan, as a founding member of the OIC, attaches special importance to this organization. Previously, the ambassador of Pakistan to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was also its representative to this Jeddah based international body. Since last year, an ambassadorial level officer has been exclusively appointed to look after OIC matters. Islamophobia in the west is of particular concern to Pakistan and it has played a leading role in flagging this issue. Recently, the UN passed a resolution to designate March 15 as the day to combat this thinking at the global level. The resolution was sponsored by Pakistan, on behalf of the OIC.
The OIC has been seized of the Jammu and Kashmir problem and its importance as a just cause of the oppressed Muslims of that region since the very beginning. Palestine and Kashmir have been prominent agenda items in all important conferences.
The OIC, as an important international forum, should redouble efforts for a just and durable resolution of the Kashmir issue, which threatens to endanger international peace.
Javed Hafeez
The OIC established an exclusive five nation Contact Group for Kashmir in 1994. After India took unilateral decisions in 2019 to abrogate the autonomy granted to Kashmir, the OIC redoubled its efforts in support of the just cause of Kashmiri people. Its Secretary General appointed a full time special envoy on Jammu and Kashmir. Palestine remains the central issue for the Ummah and Pakistan is fully cognizant of that.
As next chair of the OIC, at the ministerial level, Pakistan will be in a position to flag the sufferings of Palestinians and Kashmiris to the world. It will also be able to highlight the looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and Yemen. It is time to heal the wounds and make Islamic cooperation work for the welfare of the common man. The infighting and conflicts within the Islamic world only benefit those who do not wish us well. Reconciliation is the need of the hour and Pakistan can play an active role there. GCC offers for peace talks between Yemen factions in Riyadh is also heartening.
India’s unilateral actions in Kashmir in 2019, in contravention of international law, were condemned by the OIC and the UN Human Rights Council. Several requests by the Contact Group to visit Kashmir were turned down by India. However, Pakistan did facilitate a visit by the OIC special envoy to the Line of Control, the de facto border in Kashmir. Pakistan can play a role in emphasizing upon India to heed international legalities and soothe the suffering of hapless Kashmiris.
Mistrust between Kashmiris and India is now deeper than ever. This can be gauged from the fact that even traditionally, Kashmir’s pro-India leaders have not favored the 2019 decisions. UN resolutions clearly call for a plebiscite to determine the wishes of the Kashmiri people but have not been implemented. Similarly, repeated calls by the OIC for the right to self determination of the Kashmiri people have fallen on deaf ears. Now the OIC, as an important international forum, should redouble efforts for a just and durable resolution of the issue that threatens to endanger international peace. Pakistan and India, both atomic powers, must resolve this problem peacefully and in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
The presence of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi as a special guest at the moot depicted the Chinese desire to move closer to the Muslim world. This conference gives Pakistan the important opportunity as chair of the foreign ministers’ council of the OIC, to try for out of the box resolutions to the important issues faced by Muslim countries.
- Javed Hafeez is a former Pakistani diplomat with much experience of the Middle East. He writes weekly columns in Pakistani and Gulf newspapers and appears regularly on satellite TV channels as a defense and political analyst.
Twitter: @JavedHafiz8
