Pakistan permanent representative to OIC meets OIC Secretary General

JEDDAH, Sep 01 (APP):Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Ambassador Syed Mohammad Fawad Sher, called on the newly elected Secretary General of the OIC, H.E. Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, at the OIC Secretariat in Jeddah.

According to the press note, the Ambassador handed over a letter of felicitations addressed to the Secretary General of the OIC from the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar.

Conveying best wishes to the Secretary General on behalf of the Pakistani leadership, the Ambassador said that the Secretary General’s election by consensus was a testament to his credentials as a statesman and a diplomat and underscored the trust reposed in him by all OIC Member States.

The Ambassador underlined that, being a founding Member, Pakistan accorded high primacy to its engagement with the OIC. He particularly highlighted the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister’s keen interest in the OIC’s diverse initiatives, as reflected in his regular participation in and patronage of its various events.

He apprised the Secretary General about Pakistan’s multidimensional high-level engagements with the OIC during the current year, including the hosting of the 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women in July this year and the forthcoming 18th OIC Trade Fair in November. Referring to the complex political, security, and socio-economic challenges facing the Islamic Ummah, the Ambassador expressed confidence that, under the new Secretary General’s dynamic leadership, the OIC will realize its true potential in addressing these obstacles.

He said that Pakistan highly valued the OIC’s unwavering and principled support for the Kashmiris right to self-determination, and hoped that the OIC will endeavor with even more vigour for a just resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute during the Secretary General’s tenure.

Likewise, he added that Pakistan pinned high hopes on the incoming Secretary General’s sagacity and foresight in tackling the scourge of Islamophobia that has unfortunately assumed an alarming magnitude worldwide. The Ambassador also assured the Secretary General of Pakistan’s continued support and cooperation in enriching the OIC’s role as a platform for constructive dialogue and joint action.

The Secretary General thanked Ambassador Fawad Sher for the visit to the OIC Secretariat and for delivering the letter of the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister. He said that he was deeply moved by the warmth and support of statesmen like the DPM/FM and that he was looking forward to working closely with him to achieve meaningful progress towards the OIC community’s collective aspirations. He conveyed his gratitude and best wishes to the Pakistani leadership and hoped that Pakistan would continue to play the traditionally proactive role in promoting the issues of common interest to the Ummah.