THE BODY HAS USUALLY BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF PAKISTAN

Pakistan’s media has reported that Saudi Arabia plans to convene a meeting of the foreign ministers of member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for a discussion on the situation in Kashmir.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan “conveyed” this to his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmoud Qureshi during a meeting at the Foreign Office on Thursday, Dawn reported, quoting a diplomatic source.

Prince Faisal was on a daylong visit to Pakistan to convey the Saudi leadership’s gratitude for not participating in the recently held Kuala Lumpur summit of Muslim nations in view of the Gulf Kingdom’s reservations, the paper reported.

Discussions

“The two foreign ministers discussed OIC’s role in the advancement of the cause of Kashmir,” the Foreign Office said. Qureshi briefed Prince Faisal on the situation in Kashmir in the aftermath of India’s move to abrogate article 370 on August 5.

The OIC is a 57-member grouping of Muslim-majority

Number of Muslim majority nations in OIC nations, including Pakistan. The body has usually been supportive of Pakistan and often sided with Islamabad on the Kashmir issue.

In a brief statement, the OIC last week said it was “closely following recent developments affecting Muslim minority in India.”

Prince Faisal also called on Prime Minister Imran Khan. The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Qureshi, Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmoud, spy agency ISI chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed and other senior officials.

Khan told the Saudi minister that alleged ceasefire violations by India along the Line of Control were “stoking tensions and imperilling regional peace and security”.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE have extended financial support to the government of Prime Minister Khan to deal with the balance of payment crisis last year.