Pakistan to hold OIC extraordinary session in Islamabad today

Islamabad: The 17th extraordinary session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers is being hosted by Pakistan today (Sunday) to focus on the current aggravating humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.

The session was convened at the insistence of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as the OIC Summit Chair.

For the first time in 41 years ago, Pakistan is hosting a major meeting of the Islamic world. Prime Minister Imran Khan will deliver the keynote address at the special moot taking place at Parliament House today.

The proceedings of the conference will begin with a statement of Pakistan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi who will chair the session.

The chair of the OIC summit Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al-Saud will then speak to the delegates.

This will be followed by statement from Hissein Brahim Taha, Secretary-General of the OIC, statements on behalf of OIC Regional Groups (Asia, Africa, Arab) and statement by President Islamic Development Bank Dr Muhammad Al-Jasser.

Besides the Foreign Ministers from the OIC Member States and Observers, participants would also include special invitees from the United Nations, International Financial Institutions and some non-member states including the United States, United Kingdom, France, China, Russia, Germany, Italy, Japan and the EU.

The meeting is being convened in the backdrop of the aggravating humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.

The session would provide an opportunity to consider practical and concrete steps to help address the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people.