OIC chief says he will ‘pursue dialogue’ with IEA and int’l community

The head of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation said on Tuesday that the 48th Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers meeting will tackle a number of issues and that the organization will address the situation in Afghanistan.

Speaking during the opening session of the meeting, in Islamabad, the Secretary-General of the OIC, Hissein Brahim Taha, also said that foreign ministers would discuss the political and security situation in Afghanistan with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA).

In his address to delegates, Taha said: “I will pursue dialogue for peace, security and development in Afghanistan with de facto authorities and international partners.”

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan also commented on Afghanistan during the opening session and said: “We call for more efforts to help the brotherly Afghan people and we call on Afghans to help themselves by ensuring that Afghan lands are not used as a haven for extremist groups and respect for human rights, including Women’s right to education.”

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan meanwhile gave the opening speech at the two-day meeting and said the OIC needs to encourage the Afghan people and include them in the international community.

He said he believed the “people of Afghanistan are strong enough to evolve and go in the right direction.”

Imran Khan also said no other people had suffered as much as Afghans but noted that for the first time in over 40 years, there was no conflict in the country.

“The only danger now is through the sanctions [imposed on Afghanistan] and non-recognition”, which could cause a humanitarian crisis, he said.

Imran Khan stated that it was “extremely important” to stabilize Afghanistan because it was the “only way we are going to be able to stop international terrorism from Afghan soil”.

“Let’s not be delusional that some other country can come in and fight terrorism through drones. The only way is a stable Afghanistan government that can take care of terrorism.

“Anyone who knows the Afghan character should be cautioned, please do not push the people of Afghanistan where they feel their sovereignty is being threatened.”

The meeting, however, is taking place in the midst of Imran Khan’s toughest political phase as he is facing a no-confidence motion.

Nearly two dozen lawmakers of his own Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party have turned against him in the past week. The session for a vote on the motion has been called on 25 March.

Afghanistan has sent a delegation to Islamabad for the meeting but Pakistan’s Dawn News reported that Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi was not present.

According to Dawn News, another IEA official, Muhammad Akbar Azeemi, is leading the Afghan delegation.