Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi will lead Pakistan’s delegation to the 47th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of OIC beginning in Niger from Friday.

During the two-day session, the council of foreign ministers will discuss a wide range of issues confronting the Muslim world with particular focus on combating Islamophobia and defamation of the religions; Palestine; Jammu &Kashmir dispute; situation of Muslim communities and minorities in non-OIC states.

The Council will also hold a brainstorming session on “Security and Humanitarian Challenges Confronting African Sahel States Members of the OIC.”

During the visit, the Foreign Minister will highlight aggravating human rights and humanitarian situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJ&K) in the wake of India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019 and subsequent measures to change the demographic structure of the occupied territory.

The Foreign Minister will also highlight rising incidents of Islamophobia and hate speech against Muslims and emphasize the need for unity of the Islamic world to combat the scourge of Islamophobia and promote inter-faith harmony.

On the sidelines, the Foreign Minister will hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts and heads of delegations of member states.

Earlier in a video message, Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the meeting will deliberate upon the challenges faced by the Muslim Ummah and other important issues.

He said he will present Pakistan's stance on the changes taking place on the international landscape.

The Foreign Minister said the Muslims are perturbed over the rising incidents of Islamophobia. He said Pakistan has a very categorical and clear stance on the matter.

Alluding to the Indian atrocities in the illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Indian state terrorism in Pakistan, the Foreign Minister said this is the appropriate forum to highlight the Indian atrocities against innocent Kashmiri people. 

The Foreign Minister said that on the sidelines of the meeting, he will also hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from the Islamic countries.