Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Ishaq Dar arrived in Istanbul on Saturday to participate in the 51st session of the Council of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Cooperation Organization (OIC).
The two-day conference takes place at a time of increased tensions in the Middle East after Israel’s strikes on Iranian targets, including the recent attack on Khondab’s nuclear installation, and the current war against Gaza.
DAR should share Pakistan’s point of view on recent developments in South Asia, including ceasefire with India and reiterate Pakistan support in the Palestinian State.
Read: The Iran-Israeli conflict intensifies while Geneva speaks of weakening
He will also highlight the urgent need to establish peace in the Middle East and call for immediate humanitarian aid to the inhabitants of Gaza, who remain besieged.
The OIC summit, organized by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, has opened under the theme “the organization of Islamic cooperation in a transformer world”.
The session has established a record participation, with more than 1,000 delegates expected, including 43 foreign ministers and five subministers from the Member States.
The summit is closely monitored while tensions between Israel and Iran continue to intensify. The Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araqchi should also attend, according to a source from the Turkish Foreign Affairs, quoted by Age Anadolu.
On Thursday, Israel launched an air strike on the Khondab nuclear site in Arak. The Israeli army said it had targeted a partially built heavy water reactor, which, according to experts, could possibly produce weapon quality plutonium.
In response, Türkiye strongly criticized the actions of Israel, calling them illegal and supported Iran’s right to self -defense. Turkish officials have called on Muslim nations to unite in the face of what they have described as “destabilizing actions” in the region.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fidan, is expected to make a strong statement to the summit urging the Member States to form a unified position. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will also be for the conference.
In addition to the members of the ICO, high-level representatives of 30 international organizations participate, in particular the United Nations, the Arab League, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the organization of the Turkish States, the D-8, the Organization of Economic Cooperation and the World Trade Organization.
Find out more: The UN urges the parties to “give peace a chance” on the Irano-Israeli war
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said that Istanbul’s meeting is one of the greatest diplomatic rallies in the history of the OIC.
The organization, which includes 57 Muslim establishments, serves as a key platform for political and diplomatic collaboration in the Islamic world.
On the sidelines of the summit, an extraordinary session of the Ministerial Conference of the Arab League will also be held in Türkiye – the first time that the group has called a meeting in the country.
More than 200 journalists from local and international media cover the event.
The two -day conference should lead to a joint declaration on current regional conflicts, humanitarian concerns and the need for greater Islamic solidarity in the face of global challenges.
