In a major development, the Kashmir issue is not on the agenda of a meeting of foreign ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to be held in Niger during 27-28 November, Hindustan Times reported.
This comes despite a statement issued by Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Wednesday to announce foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s participation in the meeting of the OIC’s council of foreign ministers claimed the two-day session will discuss a range of issues facing the Muslim world, including the “Jammu and Kashmir dispute”.
However, official statements issued by OIC in English and Arabic make no mention of the Kashmir issue being on the agenda for the meeting.
OIC’s official statements quoted the organisation’s secretary general Yousef Al-Othaimeen as saying that the meeting of the foreign ministers, being held with the theme of “United against terrorism for peace and development”, has an agenda that includes “topics and issues of concern to the Muslim world”.
“In addition to the Palestinian cause, the fight against violence, extremism and terrorism, Islamophobia and defamation of religious, the Council will discuss the situation of Muslim minorities and communities in non-member states, fundraising for the Rohingya cause at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), as well as the promotion of dialogue among civilisations, cultures and religions, and other emerging matters,” the English statement said, without making any reference to the Kashmir issue.
