Daily Times

Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi Sunday said the Council of Foreign Ministers of Organization of Islamic Cooperation in its meeting would discuss the challenges being faced by the Muslim Ummah including the issues of Palestine and Kashmir.

He was speaking during a visit to Parliament House here to see the arrangements for the meeting of Council of Foreign Ministers of Organization of Islamic Cooperation on Tuesday.

Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood, Special Foreign Secretary Raza Bashir Tarar, Spokesman of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Asim Iftikhar and senior officers of the ministry were present on the occasion.

The officials gave a detailed briefing to the minister about the arrangements for the conference. The minister visited the central conference hall, counters for the delegations, medical center, media center and different meeting rooms. Speaking on the occasion, the minister said it was a great honour for Pakistan to host the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers conference after holding the extraordinary session of the OIC ministers last time. He said he met with the visiting Egyptian foreign minister and exchanged views on matters of mutual interest. As a founding member of OIC, Pakistan wanted a strengthened platform of OIC, he remarked. He said under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistan effectively raised the issue of Islamophobia and a resolution was adopted in the United Nations and from now onwards March 15 will be observed as an international day against Islamophobia. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Foreign Minister of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Sameh Hassan Shoukry Sunday held in-depth consultations, exchanging views and perspectives on a wide range of bilateral, regional and international issues.

Both sides expressed satisfaction at the excellent state of bilateral relations and close cooperation at various regional and multilateral fora. Foreign Minister Shoukry is visiting Pakistan for bilateral engagements and participation in the 48th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) being held in Islamabad on March 22-23, Foreign Office Spokesperson said in a press release. Underscoring Pakistan’s shared bonds of common faith, cultural affinity and historically warm ties with Egypt, the Foreign Minister reaffirmed the desire to further deepen the multi-dimensional relationship between the two countries. The two Foreign Ministers agreed to enhance high-level exchanges and to strengthen institutional engagement for adding further momentum to close collaboration on all issues of mutual interest.