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SARAJEVO, May 27 (FENA) - In recent months, the Muslim World has come forth with a very impressive and proactive approach towards different issues confronting the world in general and Muslim countries in particular with a renewed vigor, and Pakistan has clearly emerged as the cornerstone for all these initiatives and activities, said the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Bosnia and Herzegovina Akhtar Jamil Rao.
While the Muslim countries have been reorienting their strong narratives around different challenges and issues confronting them under the umbrella of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Pakistan has clearly emerged as the cornerstone for all these initiatives and activities. A recent manifestation of these developments has been the 48th Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (OIC CFM) that was held from 22-23 March 2022 in Islamabad.
"The significance of the 48th session of OIC CFM is evident from the fact that this event came at a critical juncture for the Islamic World when the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK) as well as Palestine are being denied their inalienable right to self-determination; Islamophobia and hate speech threatens the Muslim communities in many parts of the world; Afghanistan teeters on the verge of a humanitarian crises; world shudders with a prospective post-COVID-19 economic slowdown, and Bosnia & Herzegovina faces an uncertain and highly volatile political environment. Accordingly, the 48th OIC CFM covered the entire gamut of major political and thematic issues confronting the Muslim Ummah," said the Ambassador of Pakistan to BiH.
The main outcome document of the 48th session of OIC CFM came in the form of “Islamabad Declaration” which encompassed the Muslim Ummah’s grand narrative on all the major political and strategic issues confronting them.
For instance, on the Jammu & Kashmir dispute, the “Islamabad Declaration” expressed the unwavering solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir and express full support for their inalienable right to self-determination in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council and the OIC, and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
"We condemn massive violations of their human rights in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).We reiterate rejection of India’s illegal and unilateral actions since August 5, 2019 aimed at altering the demographic composition of the occupied territory, suppressing the realization of the inalienable right of self-determination of the Kashmiris, in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, and international law including the 4th Geneva Convention. We declare that the final settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions is indispensable for durable peace in South Asia. We reiterate our call on India to: a) reverse its unilateral and illegal measures instituted since 5th August 2019; b) cease its oppression and human rights violations against the Kashmiris in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir; c) halt and reverse attempts to alter the demographic structure and to redraw electoral constituencies in IIOJK; and d) take concrete and meaningful steps for full implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir”," he said.
On the issue of Palestine, while reiterating strong support for the Palestinian brethren, the 48th session of OIC CFM reiterated that maintaining Jerusalem’s legal status as the Capital of the State of Palestine was the only guarantee to achieving peace and security for the region.
On the issue of rising tide of Islamophobia, the OIC CFM came out in a vociferous manner. While welcoming the adoption of the UN General Assembly resolution proclaiming 15 March as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, the 48th Council of Foreign Ministers session called upon the OIC Member States as well as the international community to “raise awareness at all levels in countering Islamophobia, building a better understanding of Islam and its precepts and fostering a message of tolerance, peaceful co-existence and inter-faith and cultural harmony among all religions, races and nations”, it is said from the Embassy.
"This year’s OIC CFM was specifically significant owing to the strong position that the organization took on the recent political developments in Bosnia & Herzegovina and in favor of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of that country. The 48th OIC CFM also adopted a Resolution No. 20/48-POL on the situation in Bosnia & Herzegovina, that inter alia committed the entire Muslim World’s support to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of brotherly Bosnia & Herzegovina," said Ambassador Rao.
“We reaffirm the long-lasting support of the Member States to preserve unity, territorial integrity, sovereignty and international recognition of Bosnia and Herzegovina, within its internationally recognized borders, as a fully functional and self-sustainable state capable of carrying out its powers and fulfilling its international obligations, as well as its multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious structure. We deplore the overall policy and steps taken towards the illegal transfer of competencies from the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Republika Srpska, an entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as non-compliance with the decisions of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which annuls twenty-six years of reform and peacebuilding, and seriously threatens peace and security not only in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but in the entire Western Balkans region. We emphasize the need for continuation of a comprehensive reform process aimed at strengthening/furthering the European and Euro-Atlantic orientation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We condemn the spread of religious and national hatred, revisionism, as well as glorification of convicted war criminals in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the countries of the Western Balkans region. We reiterate support for the survivors of the Srebrenica genocide and the Srebrenica Memorial Center through economic, educational and humanitarian projects”, it is said in the "Islamabad Declaration" on the issue of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Ambassador reitareted the above position taken by the 48th OIC CFM manifests the unwavering commitment of the entire Muslim World towards the brotherly country of Bosnia & Herzegovina and highlights that the organization and its Member States will not budge from their principled position of support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Bosnia & Herzegovina. This also signifies their strong resolve to preserve the unity, territorial integrity, sovereignty and international recognition of Bosnia and Herzegovina under all circumstances, announced the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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