Islamabad, 31 December 2021 (TDI): Foreign Secretary of Pakistan, Sohail Mahmood met with the Heads of the Resident Missions of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The purpose of the meeting was to thank them for the support of the Member States in making the 17th Extraordinary Session of OIC-CFM a success.
The Extraordinary Session was hosted by Pakistan on 19 December 2021 to deliberate upon the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. Sohail Mahmood emphasized that the high-level participation by the Foreign Ministers as well as other Senior Representatives was commendable.
He pointed out that the participation at such short notice was an expression of the OIC’s emphatic support and solidarity for the Afghan people. In addition, it also asserted the leading role of OIC for the cause.
During the meeting, he also thanked the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its role as the OIC Summit Chair and other Members for their invaluable assistance for the triumphant result.
Reminiscing about the keynote address by Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Sohail Mahmood praised the OIC Member States as well as the global community for embracing substantive deliverables during the Extraordinary Session.
Imran Khan in his speech during the Session accentuated that immediate action must be taken to prevent the situation in Afghanistan from becoming the largest contemporary man-made crisis.
“We must build on this momentum”. Sohail Mehmood
The Foreign Secretary further stressed that the decisions of the appointment of an OIC Special Envoy for Afghanistan, the establishment of the Humanitarian Trust Fund, creation of the Afghanistan Food Security Program will help the country.
Furthermore, revitalization of the OIC Mission in Kabul, and initiation of discussions to devise a “roadmap” to unlock banking and financial channels in Afghanistan are all concrete and tangible steps to help Afghanistan.
Sohail Mehmood underscored that pledges to the Humanitarian Trust Fund by the OIC Member States will play an important role to turn “collective commitments” into “concrete actions”.
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the people of Afghanistan by stating that the first consignment of 1800 metric tons of wheat as part of the Prime Minister’s assistance in-kind package worth Rs. 5 billion, was sent to Afghanistan yesterday. Pakistan will continue to work with the OIC to conceive practical ways for the assistance of the Afghan people.
The first consignment of 50,000 tons of wheat gifted by Pakistan to people of Afghanistan is on its way. pic.twitter.com/psaQdo44Cc
— Mohammad Sadiq (@AmbassadorSadiq) December 30, 2021
Sohail Mehmood reiterated that Pakistan looks forward to the participation of all OIC Foreign Ministers at the meeting in March 2022 when the 48th Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers will be held. The event will coincide with the 75th Anniversary celebrations of the independence of Pakistan.
Lastly, he underlined the stance of Pakistan, that as a founding member of the OIC, it remains committed to further boosting substantive cooperation and fraternal bonds within the Muslim Ummah.
