Pak foreign minister Qureshi pushes OIC to convene meeting on Kashmir

This is being described as an unusual move by observers as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is led by Saudi Arabia, a close ally of Pakistan.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has asked the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to “stop dilly-dallying” on the convening of a meeting of its Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) on Kashmir.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. (REUTERS)

Appearing in a talk show on a local TV news channel, the foreign minister said, “I am once again respectfully telling the OIC that a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers is our expectation. If you cannot convene it, then I’ll be compelled to ask Prime Minister Imran Khan to call a meeting of the Islamic countries that are ready to stand with us on the issue of Kashmir and support the oppressed Kashmiris.”

This is being described as an unusual move by observers as the OIC is led by Saudi Arabia, a close ally of Pakistan.

In the TV programme, Qureshi said that if the OIC fails to summon the CFM meeting, Pakistan would be ready to go for a session outside the OIC. In response to another question, he said Pakistan could not wait any further.

Pakistan has been pushing for the foreign ministers’ meeting of the 57-member bloc of Muslim countries, which is the second largest intergovernmental body after the UN.

Qureshi said Pakistan skipped the Kuala Lumpur Summit last December on a Saudi Arabia’s request and now Pakistani Muslims are demanding Riyadh to “show leadership on the issue”.

“We have our own sensitivities. You have to realise this. Gulf countries should understand this,” the foreign minister said, adding that he could no more indulge in diplomatic niceties.

Qureshi made it clear that he was not being emotional and fully understood the implications of his statement. “It’s right, I’m taking a position despite our good ties with Saudi Arabia,” he said.