The convening of the Islamic Foreign Ministers’ Conference in Islamabad on the 75th anniversary of Pakistan’s independence is an extraordinary display of Muslim solidarity with Pakistan.
اضافة اعلان
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is the world’s
second-largest intergovernmental organization and represents the collective
voice of the Islamic world. Over the years, the organization has proactively
advanced the shared interests and objectives of the Islamic world. It has
sought to promote international peace and security, understanding and dialogue
among civilizations, cultures and religions, and to foster the noble Islamic
values of peace, justice and mutual respect.
The Islamabad meeting takes place at a critical moment in
world history. Structures of the global security and economic order established
in 1945 have been eroded by the repeated unilateral use of force, a new “cold
war” and growing inequalities among and within nations, exacerbated by the
COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of climate change and the technology revolution.
Islamic countries must carefully navigate these “new realities” and actively
shape the emerging world order to realize their individual and collective
interests. Toward that objective, they must first promote and preserve their
own sovereignty and territorial integrity by upholding principles, avoiding
involvement in great power rivalries, resolving inter-Islamic disputes, and
preventing foreign interference and intervention.
Second, as a force for peace with justice, the OIC must
continue to support the just causes of Palestine and Kashmir for
self-determination and liberation from foreign occupation. Although these goals
are daunting, I am convinced that the arc of history bends toward justice.
Durable peace and stability in South Asia is contingent on pacific settlement
of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant resolutions of
the UN Security Council and the wishes of the Kashmiri people. We seek friendly
relations with all neighbors, including India. New Delhi should create the
conditions conducive for a sincere and result-oriented dialogue with Pakistan and
the Kashmiris, by reversing its unilateral measures in occupied Kashmir,
including demographic changes, and halting its gross and widespread violations
of human rights.
After 40 years, there is a real opportunity to restore peace
and security in Afghanistan and the region. We must act collectively to avert a
humanitarian crisis and economic collapse in Afghanistan, and engage actively
with the Afghan authorities to promote human rights, especially women’s rights,
encourage greater inclusivity, and develop effective strategies to eliminate
the terrorist threat from the country.
We must promote and find our own solutions to the problems
confronting the Muslim world. It is vital to resolve the conflicts in Syria,
Libya and Yemen through accommodation and cooperation between the concerned
Islamic countries, and exclude non-Muslim interference in these conflicts.
The OIC should seriously consider establishing its own peace
and security architecture to promote conflict resolution through dialogue and
negotiations whenever disputes arise among Muslim countries or between them and
non-Muslim countries or entities.
The Muslim world as a whole is well endowed in terms of
human and natural resources. We need to better coordinate with a view to
exploiting complementarities and building capacities. Joint Islamic action in
the economic and commercial spheres will constitute an important step toward
greater political convergence and solidarity.
The COVID-19 pandemic and climate change have compounded our
socioeconomic challenges. They have also afforded new opportunities to reset
priorities geared toward intra-OIC cohesion. The Islamic countries must join
other developing countries to mobilize adequate resources for recovery from the
pandemic and realization of the sustainable development goals. This should
include debt relief and restructuring, fulfillment of the 0.7 percent official
development assistance target, redistribution of the unutilized $400 billion in
new special drawing rights, larger lending by the multilateral development
banks, massive public and private sector investment in sustainable
infrastructure, and mobilization of the promised $100 billion plus annually in
climate finance.
We must also demand fair and equal treatment in the
international finance, trade and taxation architecture. We must boldly arrest
and reverse the outflow of billions of dollars each year from our countries to
“safe havens” through corruption, fraud, tax evasion and tax avoidance. The OIC
countries need to prepare themselves for a knowledge-driven, integrated and
digital global economy of the future. An OIC “Commission for the Future” should
be established to study the trends in science and technology, trade and finance
and recommend a clear long-term strategy.
We should promote economic cooperation with all countries
and groups, with both the West and the East. At the same time, we should
exploit the economic complementarities among the Islamic countries, utilizing
the Islamic Development Bank and other OIC institutions. A special expert task
force could develop a plan for economic, financial, trade and technology
cooperation among OIC member states.
Finally, we must promote global respect for our faith,
Islam, and offer protection to every Muslim everywhere. We must object
vigorously to the defamation or denigration of Islam, our Holy Book or our Holy
Prophet, peace be upon him.
The worst manifestation of Islamophobia is the officially
sanctioned campaign to transform India into an exclusively Hindu state. There
is danger of genocide against Muslims in India.
I am heartened by the consensus adoption by the UN General
Assembly of the resolution proposed by Pakistan, with the OIC countries, which
has proclaimed March 15 as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia. We
will continue to build bridges, promote respect for all religions and beliefs
and advance global dialogue among civilizations to promote peaceful coexistence
and interfaith harmony.
Pakistan will always remain a fortress of Islam and a
defender of the rights and interests of Muslims around the world. I hope to
fulfill our founder’s vision to transform Pakistan into a modern, democratic,
Islamic welfare state abiding by the precepts of our Holy Prophet, as practiced
in the Riyasat-e-Madinah.
The writer is the prime minister of Pakistan. Twitter:
@ImranKhanPTI
Read more Opinion and Analysis
.jpg)
.jpg)
