Tag: OIC

Categories
UAE News

OIC countries redefines safety of telecom

Dato' Ts. Dr. Haji Amirudin Abdul Wahab, CEO of Cybersecurity Malaysia and the OIC-CERT Permanent Secretariat

At GISEC 2022, Middle East and Africa’s most influential and connected cybersecurity event, the Northern Africa leg of the roll-out in late March…reports Asian Lite News

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation – Computer Emergency Response Team (OIC-CERT), a leading international cybersecurity platform, which is currently the third-largest CERT collaboration platform in the world, continued the OIC-CERT 5G Security Framework adoption among member countries in 2022.

Earlier this year, the OIC-CERT 5G Security Framework Workshop, hosted by CyberSecurity Malaysia was held in conjunction with the Malaysian Edition of Safer Internet Day 2022. It aimed to provide awareness of the importance of 5G security, to develop a common 5G security framework for risk assessment and management, and to develop a common standard for OIC member countries that can be used to mitigate any technical difficulties in rolling out 5G. This event set the ball rolling for similar workshops held in other OIC-CERT member countries. According to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), “The OIC-CERT 5G Security Framework will be another reference point guiding in ensuring the overall network security, resiliency and survivability of Malaysia’s 5G implementation.”

Dato’ Ts. Dr. Haji Amirudin Abdul Wahab, CEO of Cybersecurity Malaysia and the OIC-CERT Permanent Secretariat, said, “The OIC-CERT 5G Security Framework has garnered tremendous interest since its launch in January 2022. Within ten months, we have promoted the Framework in six countries, resulting in in-person engagement with OIC-CERT members from Malaysia, the UAE, Egypt, and Tunisia, among others.”

“The UAE is leading the adoption of the OIC-CERT 5G Security Framework. The country is building a strong foundation in its critical information infrastructure that supports the emergent metaverse and other future digital initiatives. With the UAE providing a reference point on the versatility and adoptability of the 5G Security Framework, we hope to see more members joining the bandwagon by the end of 2022. This will play an important role in elevating the digital readiness of OIC countries,” he added.

At GISEC 2022, Middle East and Africa’s most influential and connected cybersecurity event, the Northern Africa leg of the roll-out in late March. This was followed by the Cybersecurity Innovation Series (CSIS) Egypt edition, where Mohd Shamir Hashim, the Senior Vice President of CyberSecurity Malaysia International Engagement and the Co-Chair of the OIC-CERT 5G Security Working Group, had a meeting with the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA), Egypt and the National Agency for Computer Security (ANSI) Tunisia. As a result, both agencies indicated the possibility of adopting the OIC-CERT framework in managing 5G security in their countries.

Recently, H.E. Dr Mohamed AI-Kuwaiti, Head of Cybersecurity for the UAE Government announced that the country had developed a UAE Telecom Cybersecurity Guidance, currently under review, which will effectively strengthen UAE telecommunication cybersecurity in a holistic and systematic manner, involving governance and management, implementation, and improvement of a secure, resilient and self-healing telecom network. Comprised of two parts, the Guidance defines a defense-in-depth, zero-trust driven multi-layered framework based on the OIC-CERT 5G Security Framework. This approach builds security incrementally from the physical layer security to the application layer security based on internationally recognized standards and best practices. The first layer on the equipment security looks at mandating GSMA/3GPP NESAS/SCAS certification as a baseline requirement in the first part to defining a world-first telecom information security management system or the T-ISMS based mainly on GSMA 5G Cybersecurity Knowledge Base and other global standards, which are all recommended by the OIC-CERT 5G Security Framework.

With the UAE leading the adoption of the 5G Security Framework, the country will become an ideal reference point that will provide guidance on how the framework can be utilized to promote the standardization of 5G security on an open and transparent platform to accelerate the seamless, cost-effective roll-out of 5G among the OIC-CERT member states.

The OIC-CERT 5G Security Framework is designed based on the Plan, Do, Check, and Act (PDCA) cycle of the security management systems. However, this framework does not extend many controls under PDCA, but instead further clarifies and simplifies the journey of 5G adoption for OIC member countries in terms of cybersecurity. These four components are uniquely developed as the enabler of PDCA, focusing on baseline and indispensable elements to better maintain and operate a 5G security system in a holistic manner.

ALSO READ-OIC seeks support for Rohingyas

Categories
-Top News Asia News Bangladesh

OIC seeks support for Rohingyas

Five years later, Rohingyas in Rakhine State still lack freedom of movement and other basic rights such as access to adequate food, health care and education…reports Asian Lite News

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation has paid tribute to the government and people of Bangladesh for their efforts to provide protection, hospitality and assistance to the Rohingya refugees who have been living in Bangladesh for the past five years.

August 25 marked five years since the start of the massive refugee influx of Rohingya people and other communities from Myanmar’s Rakhine State into Bangladesh.

The OIC paid tribute to the international support provided, including from the member states, for the refugees.

In 2017, Myanmar’s military began carrying out violent operations against the Rohingya population in the northern part of Rakhine State, which resulted in grave crimes under international law and forced hundreds of thousands to flee.

Five years later, Rohingyas in Rakhine State still lack freedom of movement and other basic rights such as access to adequate food, health care and education.

This anniversary was a reminder that the crimes committed against the Rohingya require accountability, the OIC said.

It reiterated its firm support for the Rohingya people and called on the international community to stand firm with them in their plight, and to redouble efforts to protect their human rights, including their right to full citizenship, and to ensure favorable conditions for the safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable return of all Rohingya refugees and internally displaced persons to their homeland.

The OIC expressed the hope that the recent ruling of the International Court of Justice to dismiss the preliminary objections of Myanmar would contribute to mobilizing effective international action to provide more support for the Rohingya people and contribute to finding a solution to their suffering.

Dhaka, UN seek to raise $881m

Bangladesh and UN agencies yesterday presented their Joint Response Plan 2022, seeking to raise $881 million in humanitarian assistance for the Rohingyas and the Bangladeshi host communities.

This is the first time the JRP sought $100 million for the Roingyas in Bhasan Char, where the government has set up a housing facility at the cost of $360 million for one lakh Roingyas.

So far, about 26,000 refugees have been relocated there.

The JRP 2022, virtually launched in Geneva, will support approximately 1.4 million people — 918,000 Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char, and 540,000 Bangladeshis in neighbouring communities.

Presented by UNHCR Director of External Relations Dominique Hyde, the JRP 2022 wants to make sure that the Rohingya situation does not become a forgotten crisis.

“It is therefore vital to ensure continued funding and support to meet the needs of the refugees and surrounding host communities.”

Refugees in the Kutupalong Rohingya Refugee Camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, in July, 2018. (Photo: UN/IANS)

The JRP highlights the need for enhanced efforts towards disaster risk management and climate change mitigation, including through reforestation and energy interventions.

Hyde said the solutions to the Rohingya crisis ultimately lie within Myanmar, but steadfast support from the international community is crucial to delivering lifesaving protection and assistance services for the refugees until they can return to Myanmar.

At the launch, Shahriar Alam, state minister for foreign affairs, said the international community, including the UN, must intensify their focus on the permanent solution — the sustainable return and reintegration of Rohingyas in Myanmar.

“We must not forget the environmental and ecological aspects in and around the camp areas. No project under the JRP should further deteriorate the landscape and ecosystem, rather projects should be there to restore and improve the situation.

“We urge the international community to do everything possible to arrange their [the Rohingya refugees’] early, voluntary and sustainable repatriation,” he said.

Myanmar authorities are yet to demonstrate genuine political will to resolve the crisis, he said, calling for the international community to create an environment conducive to their return in Rakhine state.

“The international community must not shy away from their responsibility to resolve the crisis and relieve Bangladesh from the burden.”

ALSO READ-Rohingya rally in Bangladesh to mark exodus anniversary

Categories
Africa News

OIC slams terror attack in Somalia

Hissein Brahim Taha, OIC secretary-general, expressed his strong condemnation of the heinous act and his solidarity with the victims’ families, the government, and the people of Somalia…reports Asian Lite News

Members of the Jeddah-based Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the UN joined US, Britain, Egypt, and Turkey in condemning the terrorist attack in Mogadishu, which killed at least 21 people.

Police and the military in Mogadishu announced on Sunday that Somali forces had concluded a siege at the Hayat and had freed 106 people, including women and children.

Hissein Brahim Taha, OIC secretary-general, expressed his strong condemnation of the heinous act and his solidarity with the victims’ families, the government, and the people of Somalia.

He reiterated the OIC’s principled position against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack, according to an official statement that said the UN supported the people of Somalia “in their fight against terrorism and their march toward peace.”

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its strong condemnation and denunciation of the terrorist attack.

It affirmed the Kingdom’s position of “rejecting all forms of violence, extremism, and terrorism, expressing condolences and sympathies to the families of the victims, the brotherly Somali government, and people.”

The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Egypt affirmed its “full solidarity with Somalia in this painful affliction, stressing its total rejection of all forms of violence, extremism, and terrorism.”

ATMIS, the African Union force tasked with helping Somali forces take over primary responsibility for security by the end of 2024, also condemned the attack.

Somalia’s elite armed forces battled the militants for 30 hours from Friday evening after the attackers blasted and shot their way into the hotel, which is popular with MPs and other government officials.

Three attackers were shot dead during the military operation to end the siege, police said.

Police Commissioner Abdi Hassan Mohamed Hijar said that 106 people, including children and women, were rescued during the siege.

The Al-Shabab extremist group, which has ties with Al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility for the attack, the latest of its frequent attempts to strike places visited by government officials.

Samira Gaid, executive director of the Hiraal Institute, a Mogadishu-based security think tank, said the “audacious attack” was a message to the new government and its foreign allies.

“The complex attack is to show that they are still very much present, very relevant and that they can penetrate government security and conduct such attacks,” she said.

Survivor Aden Ali said he was drinking tea at the hotel when he heard the first blast. He ran toward the compound wall with others as the militants fired at them.

“We were many on the run, over a dozen. When I went out of the hotel, I could see eight of us. May- be the rest died in the shooting,” Ali said.

Another group of people in the hotel fled to an upper floor, where they were killed by terrorists who first blew up the stairs to prevent escape, he added.

Health Minister Dr. Ali Haji Adam reported 21 deaths and 117 people wounded, with at least 15 in critical condition. He said some victims may not have been taken to hospital.

In early May, terrorists attacked a military base for African Union peacekeepers outside Mogadishu, killing Burundian troops.

Police are yet to explain how the hotel attack unfolded, and it remains unclear how many gunmen entered the building.

UN urges long-term support

The United Nations senior envoy in Somalia on Sunday called for lasting support for the victims in Somalia amid a surge in attacks by al-Shabab militants across the country.

James Swan, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, urged that the victims and their families be provided both immediate and longer-term support.

“The UN stands in solidarity with all Somali victims and survivors of terrorism as they heal from their trauma, along with their families and communities,” Swan said in a statement issued in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, to mark the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism.

He said the voices of survivors must be heard and acknowledged, and their rights upheld, noting that the weekend’s terrorist violence in Mogadishu is a stark reminder of just how vital this is.

The UN envoy’s statement came after the Somali security forces ended a 30-hour siege at Hayat Hotel which had been attacked by al-Shabab militants.

A police officer said the specialised security forces neutralised the attackers who had detonated explosives and blasted their way inside the popular hotel, a hangout for civilians, government officials, and lawmakers.

“The security forces used heavy weapons and explosives to kill all the attackers. The scene has been quiet for some time now and there is now gunfire coming from the hotel. The siege has ended,” the police officer who declined to be identified told Xinhua on Saturday night.

However, the residents said they could still hear sounds of gunfire inside the Hayat Hotel on Sunday morning.

More than ten people have been killed and several others, including security officers, wounded in the attack.

ALSO READ-OIC chief praises UAE

Categories
-Top News India News

Selective religiophobia; India’s tit for tat for OIC remarks

Tirumurti cited the attack by the Islamic State on a gurdwara in Kabul on Saturday, the very day designated by the General Assembly to combat hate speech…writes Arul Louis

Rejecting Organisation for Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) criticism as “divisive,” India has said that efforts to combat religiophobia will not succeed if the rising hatred against Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism is ignored.

“It’s time that UN member states condemned hatred against non-Abrahamic religions as well and stop from being selective in combating religiophobias,” India’s Permanent Representative T. S. Tirumurti told the General Assembly on Monday.

“There cannot be double standards on religiophobias if you truly want to combat hate,” he said at the informal high-level meeting commemorating the first International Day for Countering Hate Speech.

India has promoted a culture of tolerance and respect for all religions under its constitution and its legal system deals with violations, he added, reacting to a criticism voiced by Pakistan on behalf of the OIC.

“Aberrations are dealt with within our legal framework and we reject selective outrage from outside, especially when they are motivated and pursuing a divisive agenda just as we heard today’s references against India by OIC,” he said.

Pakistan was referring to BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, who has been suspended by the party’s leadership and is facing criminal charges in several cities of hurting religious sentiments.

Tirumurti said, “India has time and again emphasised that combating religiophobia can never succeed if it continues to be exclusionary and remains restricted to one or two religions only, while completely ignoring the rise in hatred and discrimination against non-Abrahamic religions, including Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism.”

The Abrahamic religions are Judaism, Christianity and Islam, which trace their origins to the Jewish Prophet Abraham.

Tirumurti cited the attack by the Islamic State on a gurdwara in Kabul on Saturday, the very day designated by the General Assembly to combat hate speech.

“We condemn in the strongest terms this cowardly, dastardly attack where lives were tragically lost,” he added.

A Sikh worshipper was killed in the attack on Gurdwara Karte Parwan, as was also a member of the ruling Taliban’s forces trying to protect it.

It was also targeted with a car bomb that went off nearby.

The international reaction to it has been muted with the only notable condemnation of the attack coming from the UN Mission in Afghanistan.

“We firmly believe that a society based on principles of democracy and pluralism provides an enabling environment for diverse religions and communities to live together,” Tirumurti said.

“Today, every one of the world’s major religions has a home in India, making it a nation of unparalleled diversity. India has, over centuries, provided refuge to all, whether Zoroastrians or the Jewish community or Tibetan Buddhists or many from our own neighbourhood,” he added.

Pakistan’s Permanent Representative Munir Akram speaking on behalf of the OIC said that “denigration of Prophet Mohammad by India’s ruling party’s official” along with republishing cartoons of Mohammad by a French satirical publication and burning copies of the Quran in Sweden were “willful provocations and defamation of Islamic holy personalities and religious symbols”.

He called them “gross abuse of the right of freedom of expression” that hurt the sensitivities of Muslims and “reinforce extremist sentiments”.

UN General Assembly President Abdulla Shahid said, “Cyberspace and social media together with the proliferation of disinformation and fake news have aggravated the effects of hate speech to unprecedented heights.”

“We cannot let the word ‘speech’ fool us: this trend has grave material consequences on the lives of those it targets and has particularly adverse effects on those most vulnerable,” he added.

ALSO READ: ‘India-US ties guided by Modi, Biden, yoga vital linkage’

Categories
-Top News

MEA in damage control mode

The six-point memo was sent to all the heads of mission (HOMs) in OIC countries on Sunday, hours after the Ambassadors in Qatar and Kuwait had been summoned…reports Asian Lite News

In its responses to the diplomatic storm over the comments made by BJP spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar, the government took a stern view of the statement by the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), but it subsequently made a special effort at ensuring that Indian Ambassadors based in every OIC country were briefed and sent “talking points” to deal with the situation on June 5.

Significantly, the reference to the leaders as “fringe elements” was not in the brief by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), sources said. It had possibly emerged from a telephone conversation and was used “mistakenly” in the press statements issued by the embassies in Doha and Kuwait.

The phrase “fringe elements” had caused some consternation within the MEA as well as among officials in the countries that lodged protests against the comments, as it appeared to be misleading, given that Sharma and Kumar were prominent leaders of the BJP before the party took action against them.

The six-point memo was sent to all the heads of mission (HOMs) in OIC countries on Sunday, hours after the Ambassadors in Qatar and Kuwait had been summoned. The missive, which was cleared by Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra and sent by the MEA’s Gulf Division, The Hindu reported.

It also counselled them to draft a statement in case they were summoned by the host government, which made all the points: that the Indian government respects all religions; that the comments denigrating a religious personality did not represent the government or the BJP, that “strong action” had been taken against those making the comments, and that the BJP had issued its own press release reiterating these points.

In addition, the government asked the HOMs to caution their hosts that “vested interests” that are against bilateral relations are “inciting” people and that India and the host country must “work together” against such “mischievous elements”, without naming India’s concerns about Pakistan.

In Islamabad on Tuesday, Pakistan Foreign Secretary Sohail Mehmood met all OIC Ambassadors and “briefed them on the developments regarding the highly derogatory remarks by two senior officials of India’s ruling party BJP”, indicating that Pakistan intends to continue to pursue the issue.

Alarm bells really went off on Sunday morning, however, when the Qatari Foreign Ministry summoned Indian Ambassador Deepak Mittal to hand him a stern demarche and to demand a “public apology” from the Indian government in the matter, a rare and even unprecedented occasion while an Indian dignitary was in Doha.

Another big worry for the MEA was the impending visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, who landed in Delhi on Tuesday for a three-day, three-city tour, which is his first visit to India since the elections last year.

Officials said they hope the interventions will help resolve the issue now. By Tuesday, at least 15 countries — Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Malaysia. the UAE, Jordan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bahrain, Maldives, Libya and Indonesia — had issued formal protests, along with the OIC, and the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council.

ALSO READ-Pak has no right to comment on minority rights, flays India

Categories
-Top News India News

‘Unwarranted and narrow-minded’: India hits back at OIC comments

India's Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi

The Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that it is regrettable that the OIC Secretariat has yet again chosen to make “motivated, misleading and mischievous comments”…reports Asian Lite News

India on Monday slammed the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for making comments on the internal affairs of the country, terming them ‘unwarranted and narrow-minded’.

The Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi in a statement said, “We have seen the statement on India from the General Secretariat of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Government of India categorically rejects OIC Secretariat’s unwarranted and narrow-minded comments.”

“The Government of India accords the highest respect to all religions. The offensive tweets and comments denigrating a religious personality were made by certain individuals. They do not, in any manner, reflect the views of the Government of India. Strong action has already been taken against these individuals by relevant bodies,” the statement added.

It said that it is regrettable that the OIC Secretariat has yet again chosen to make “motivated, misleading and mischievous comments”. This only exposes its divisive agenda being pursued at the behest of vested interests, it said.

“We would urge the OIC Secretariat to stop pursuing its communal approach and show due respect to all faiths and religions,” said the statement.

The OIC, a 57-member nation has crticised India and said, “These abuses come in the context of the escalation of hatred and abuse of Islam in India and in the context of the systematic practices against Muslims and restrictions on them, especially in light of a series of decisions banning headscarves in educational institutions in a number of Indian states and demolitions of Muslim property, in addition to the increase in violence against them.”

ALSO READ: India, Qatar Launch Start-Up Bridge

ALSO READ: India directly engages with Taliban 2.0 in Afghanistan

Categories
India News

India slams OIC over Kashmir remarks 

Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Arindam Bagchi said countries associated with this exercise should realise its impact on their reputation…reports Asian Lite News

India on Thursday hit out at OIC’s references to Kashmir in statements adopted at its meeting in Islamabad, saying these “demonstrate both the irrelevance of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation as a body and role of Pakistan as its manipulator”.

In a strongly-worded response to the OIC statement, Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Arindam Bagchi said references have been made to India and are based on falsehoods and misrepresentation.

He said the “absurdity” of OIC commenting on the treatment of minorities at the instance of “a serial violator of human rights like Pakistan”, is so evident.

Bagchi said countries associated with this exercise should realise its impact on their reputation.

“The statements and resolutions adopted at the meeting demonstrate both the irrelevance of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation as a body and the role of Pakistan as its manipulator,” he said.

“References have been made to India that are based on falsehoods and misrepresentation. The absurdity of this body commenting on the treatment of minorities, that too at the instance of a serial violator of human rights like Pakistan, is so evident. Nations and Governments that associate themselves with such exercises should realise the impact it has on their reputation,” he added.

Bagchi was responding to media queries on references to India in the statements and resolutions adopted at the OIC meeting in Pakistan.

India had on Wednesday rejected the “uncalled reference” to Jammu and Kashmir by the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his speech at the opening ceremony of the OIC.

Bagchi had said matters related to the union territory “are entirely the internal affairs of India” and added other countries including China have no locus standi to comment. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Omar Abdullah alleges ‘The Kashmir Files’ manipulating truth

Categories
-Top News Asia News PAKISTAN

Pak oppn threatens to block OIC meet

Pakistan is going through political turmoil ahead of the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan after dozen of its party members parted ways with the ruling party…reports Asian Lite News

Pakistan’s opposition leaders have threatened to stage a “sit-in” in the lower house and disrupt the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit, if the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan is not presented in the National Assembly on Monday, the deadline for tabling the resolution.

If the opposition stages a sit-in then an Organisation of Islamic Cooperation summit that is scheduled to take place there on the same day will be hampered.

According to the rules, the resolution, “shall not be voted upon before the expiry of three days, or later than seven days.” Therefore, the speaker must call the lower house in session by March 22, while voting on the no-confidence motion must take place between three and seven days after the session is summoned.

However, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said today that he had been receiving reports of the NA speaker intending to go against the Constitution, law and rules of the house regarding the no-trust move, reported Dawn.

“But if the speaker’s non-democratic thinking [comes in the way] … and he doesn’t move the no-confidence motion by Monday, then I will propose within in my party and to other opposition parties as well not to leave the hall,” he warned. “Then we will see how you hold your OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) conference”, which is scheduled to be held in the NA on March 21 and March 22.

Bilawal continued, “If they threaten us by not following the law, the Constitution and rules of the NA, then it is my stance that we will continue sitting on that floor until we are given our right.”

He added, “We also want the OIC [summit] to take place. The entire country wants it to take place. But in order for it to happen in a proper manner without any problems, the only way is that the speaker plays his due role.”

“He should not become a member of the PTI … and think about the country, the democracy and the OIC,” Bilawal said. “If he starts the no-confidence proceedings on Monday, there would be no issues in the way of the OIC and we, too, would not have any objections as the no-trust clock would be running in accordance with the law and Constitution,” reported the newspaper.

Pakistan is going through political turmoil ahead of the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan after dozen of its party members parted ways with the ruling party. (ANI)

ALSO READ-‘Imran fighting an unwinnable war’

Categories
-Top News Asia News

Imran has high hopes for OIC summit

Pic credits Twitter @PakPMO

Prime Minister Imran Khan will deliver the keynote address at the inaugural session. As per details, Khan will be addressing the core issues on the agenda, particularly Palestine and Jammu and Kashmir….reports Asian Lite News

Pakistan’s capital is the venue of attention as intense diplomatic activity is underway on a daily basis with the country welcoming foreign ministers of member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to host the 48th Session of OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, scheduled to be held on March 22 and 23.

The Pakistan foreign office stated that as the dates of the OIC session is coinciding with the 75th anniversary celebrations of the country’s independence, the foreign ministers will join at the Pakistan Day Parade as guests of honour.

“The theme of the session — ‘Partnering for Unity, Justice and Development’ — represents our commitment to foster unity within the Ummah, advance the cause of justice for all Muslim people, and promote prosperity and sustainable development for OIC member states,” said a press release issued by the Pakistan foreign office.

Pic credits OIC@Twitter

“We will seek to build partnerships and bridges of cooperation across the Islamic world to address the myriad of challenges confronting us and to seize the multiple opportunities that present themselves to promote the collective interests of the Ummah,” the release added.

Prime Minister Imran Khan will deliver the keynote address at the inaugural session. As per details, Khan will be addressing the core issues on the agenda, particularly Palestine and Jammu and Kashmir.

The Conference discussion will focus on key priorities such as countering Islamophobia, recovery from Covid-19 pandemic, and diverse matters of peace and security, economic development, cultural and scientific cooperation and revitalising the role of the OIC.

The follow-up of the extra-ordinary session on Afghanistan will also be reviewed. It was also stated that over 100 resolutions are likely to be adopted by the Session, which will articulate OIC’s perspective on major contemporary issues.

Pakistan will be using the opportunity to highlight the landmark resolution it introduced on behalf of the OIC countries proclaiming March 15 at the UN as the ‘International Day to Combat Islamophobia’.

“The resolution reflects the sentiments of more than 1.5 billion Muslims around the world. This is the first time ever that the UN has adopted a resolution specifically recognising Islamophobia as a contemporary form of discrimination,” the Pakistan foreign office stated.

It said that the commemoration of the International Day to Combat Islamophobia will:

* Send a clear message against contemporary challenges of racism, discrimination and violence against Muslims

* Raise international awareness about increasing Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hatred

* Promote the message of tolerance, peaceful co-existence and interfaith and cultural harmony

Pakistan will also raise the issue of Jammu and Kashmir during the session, emphasising what it termed as the fundamental principles of the UN Charter, including “self-determination of people, non-use or threat of use of force, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, pacific-settlement of disputes and equal security for all”.

ALSO READ: Setback for Pakistan in Reko Diq case

Categories
-Top News Asia News China

China’s foreign minster to attend OIC meet as ‘guest of honour’

Wang will address the conference scheduled for March 22 and 23 as a special guest….reports Asian Lite News

Pakistan has invited Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to attend the upcoming conference of Foreign Ministers from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Islamabad as a “guest of honour”, a rare move to accord this opportunity to a top diplomat from a non-OIC country, The Express Tribune reported.

Wang will address the conference scheduled for March 22 and 23 as a special guest.

At least 48 Foreign Ministers from the 57-nation OIC have so far confirmed their participation.

This is the second OIC meeting being hosted by Pakistan in three months.

In December 2021, Pakistan also hosted an extraordinary session of the OIC on Afghanistan, the report said.

Meanwhile, sources said that Wang, apart from attending the OIC conference, would also attend the Pakistan Day Parade to witness the performance of recently-inducted Chinese fighter jets J-10C into the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).

Pakistan is the first country to get the J-10C fighter jets from China, The Express Tribune reported.

The Chinese Minister will also meet the country’s civil and military leadership to review the bilateral ties as well as discuss regional and international issues.

Progress on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects would also be reviewed during his visit, The Express Tribune added.

ALSO READ: ‘US blackmailing India, China, Turkey over Russia ties’