Pakistan hosts Organization of Islamic Cooperation meeting

Pakistan is set to host the 48th session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s Council of Foreign Ministers (OIC CFM) today and tomorrow in Islamabad.

The council will discuss a number of issues, including recent developments and humanitarian issues in Afghanistan and the ongoing dispute in Jammu and Kashmir between India and Pakistan. The council will also deliberate on threats to peace and stability in Africa and the Middle East, such as the conflicts in Yemen and the Chad Basin. A discussion on Islamophobia is also on the agenda–the UN recently proclaimed March 15 as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia after the General Assembly adopted a resolution on the matter drafted and proposed by Pakistan (on behalf of the OIC) last week.

Expect the CFM to release statements about India’s criticism of the Pakistani resolution at the UN. They may be especially critical given Pakistan’s influence over the organization, its position in Jammu and Kashmir vis-a-vis India and recent Pakistani condemnation of allegedly Islamophobic laws imposed in India upon their significant Muslim minority population. Further, expect Pakistan to take a leadership role in regional affairs, especially on issues pertaining to Muslim populations, such as humanitarian relief and reconstruction in Afghanistan.