Islamabad, 20 December 2021 (TDI): President Dr. Arif Alvi said that Pakistan attached utmost significance to its ties with Turkmenistan as the two countries enjoy excellent relations in various fields, besides having unanimity of views on major international and regional fora including United Nations, ECO, and SCO.
PAKISTANI PRESIDENT VISITED TURKMENISTAN’S FOREIGN MINISTER
He said that Pakistan was committed to the early completion of the TAPI pipeline project. The President expressed these views while talking to the visiting Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan Meredov Rashid Ovezgeldiyevich; who called on him at Aiwan-e-Sadr.
Talking to the Turkmen Foreign Minister, the President highlighted the importance of regional connectivity and economic integration. The President also said that both the countries should join efforts to boost regional connectivity.
The meeting proposed to establish a committee under the Joint Working Group to expedite the process of early completion of the TAPI pipeline. Furthermore, the President congratulated the visiting dignitary on the successful holding of the 17th Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
Alvi expressed the hope that the Extraordinary Session of OIC countries would succeed in getting international support to address the growing crisis in Afghanistan.
He urged the international community to realize the gravity of the situation in Afghanistan and also support it in this hour of need.
He underlined that Afghanistan should not be further squeezed. Alvi also underlined that the necessity to release the blocked money to counter the worsening economic and humanitarian crisis.
The President recalled his recent visit to Turkmenistan and said that he held very fruitful meetings with the Turkmen President. During the meeting, both sides emphasized the need for early completion of the TAPI gas pipeline project. The Turkmen Foreign Minister conveyed to the President the warmest wishes from President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow.
He added that the visit of the President of Pakistan, Dr. Arif Alvi to Turkmenistan was great support for them which would further boost bilateral cooperation between the two brotherly countries.
OIC BACKGROUND
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is the second-largest organization after the United Nations; as it has 57 members in over four countries. Making the OIC the collective voice of the Muslim World.
OIC aims to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony. The Founding States decided to establish the Organization during the historical summit which took place in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco.
The 11th Secretary-General is Dr. Yousef Ahmed Al-Othaimeen, and he assumed office in November 2016. The objectives and principles of the organization and its fundamental purposes were laid down in the first OIC Charter signed in 1972.
Originally, OIC had 30 States as members, and now as mentioned before it has 57. The Eleventh Islamic Summit held in Dakar on 13-14 March 2008, adopted the current Charter. Currently, OIC actively represents Muslims by espousing important causes for over 1.5 billion Muslims of the world.
