Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar reached Saudi Arabia on Monday to attend the 21st extraordinary meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The important session is being held at the OIC Secretariat in Jeddah.
Dar was welcomed at King Abdulaziz International Airport by Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the OIC, Fawad Sher, Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ahmed Farooq, and Consul General in Jeddah, Khalid Majeed.
The extraordinary OIC meeting will focus on the worsening situation in Gaza. According to the Foreign Office, member states will deliberate on Israeli aggression, the plan to impose full military control over Gaza, and the grave human rights violations being committed against Palestinians. The session also aims to form a joint action plan among OIC countries and push for urgent humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza.
Pakistan has always raised its voice for the rights of Palestinians at global platforms. In Jeddah, Ishaq Dar will once again reaffirm Pakistan’s firm support for Palestine. He will demand Israel’s withdrawal from all occupied territories, including Jerusalem, and call for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders. He will also stress the need for immediate humanitarian relief to protect innocent civilians in Gaza.
Apart from the OIC meeting, Dar is expected to hold separate talks with foreign ministers of key OIC member states. These discussions will not only focus on building a stronger consensus on the Palestinian issue but also explore opportunities for wider regional cooperation.
