Islamabad, 21 December 2021: Prime Minister of Pakistan addressed the 17th Extraordinary Session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM). The Conference was held in the Federal Capital of Pakistan, Islamabad, on 19th December 2021.

Envoys from 57 Islamic states, Observer Delegates, Special Representatives from United States (US), China, Russia, the European Union (EU), and stakeholders participated in the OIC Summit to devise an immediate strategy to combat the increasing humanitarian crisis in war-torn Afghanistan.

While addressing the OIC conference, Imran Khan expressed his views at the 17th Extraordinary Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers portrayed the grave situation of Afghanistan at the Parliament House in Islamabad.

The Premier concluded the event and began his speech by welcoming the participants of the OIC Summit.


Prime Minister Imran Khan apprised the global community about the oppression and chaos in Afghanistan, and stated that if the world does not act now, it will become the biggest “man-made crisis on the planet”.

He further expressed his views by recalling the previous Extraordinary Session of OIC, held in Pakistan about forty-one years ago. He told the gathering that the sufferings of Afghanistan are unique and do not compare to any other situation in the world.

In addition, Imran Khan stated that before the Taliban’s control, half of the population was below the poverty line and the country’s economy was at the mercy of foreign aid. He also pointed out that no state in the world can endure the miserable shocks of the humanitarian crisis as Afghanistan has been going through for several decades.

Appreciating the speakers of the OIC for highlighting the intensity of the crisis in the war-torn country and the need for timely global assistance, he urged the OIC member states to learn lessons from history and not let conflicts pollute the harmony of the global environment.

While mentioning the United States (US) in his speech, he said that the US must “delink” the Taliban government from the 40 million Afghan masses. He also stated that the US remained in a long conflict with the Taliban but now it concerns the Afghan people, who need an urgent response from the global community.

Imran Khan also mentioned the recent control of the Taliban in Afghanistan and urged Taliban leaders to fulfill their commitments to meet international standards with a formation of inclusive government and provision of rights to women.

Moreover, he expressed his views about human rights and spoke that the concept of human rights varies in every society. He also gave the example of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province which borders the landlocked country.

The Prime Minister highlighted the difference between the culture of urban and rural areas. He extended his remarks that the conservative cultural setup of rural areas hinders the ways of girls in getting their basic rights. He advised that the world has to consciously maintain a balance in providing human rights as well as women’s rights.

Aside from that, he mentioned that unrest will prevail in Afghanistan unless the world collectively takes steps. Prime Minister Imran Khan said that Pakistan has always supported Afghanistan during odd hours and provided shelter to over three million refugees.

He also noted that the country’s situation is pushing the Afghan people to migrate, while the whole world is suffering, reviving, and reconstructing from the shocks of the global pandemic.

Pakistan is not in a position to host an influx of refugees. Imran Khan also accentuated the shambling economies of third-world states and questioned the future of refugees in poor states.

While concluding the session, the Premier appreciated the suggestions put forward by Islamic Development Bank for providing urgent assistance. In addition, the Prime Minister stressed that the OIC owes a “religious duty” to assist the Afghans as disarray in Afghanistan holds damaging consequences for the world.

Furthermore, Imran Khan expressed a profound hope that the OIC Summit will lead the region towards the paths of peace and stability as he urged the Council of Foreign Ministers of the 57 member states to help the Afghan people to have a stable future.

The Premier welcomed the delegates of the OIC member states, international organizations, and other partners involved for the 17th Extraordinary Session of the OIC with a prime purpose to invest capital and human resources for a stable and peaceful Afghanistan.

Lastly, he stated that the entire world hopes to observe the practical manifestation of the resolutions, adopted during the summit.

Prime Minister of Pakistan
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