UPDATE - Pakistan opposes move to invite India to OIC meeting

UPDATES WITH QUOTES BY PAKISTAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AA) - Pakistan on Tuesday opposed the invitation extended to Indian external affairs minister to attend the upcoming meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) as "Guest of Honor" in Abu Dhabi.

"Yesterday, I spoke with Saudi Arabia and UAE foreign ministers and informed them about the Pakistan’s stance and concerns over the invitation extended to Indian foreign minister," Shah Mahood Qureshi, Pakistan’s foreign minister told reporters in Islamabad.

“Today the situation has changed. Aggression has been done against a founding member of the OIC,” Qureshi said, referring to Indian jets’ intrusion into Pakistan’s airspace.

On Saturday, the Indian External Ministry said the UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan has invited the Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj as the " Guest of Honour" to address the inaugural plenary of the 46th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of OIC.

Qureshi questioned as to how a country could be invited in the meeting of OIC which did aggression against the founding member of the Islamic bloc.

Prime Minister Imran Khan also spoke with Saudi and UAE crown princes and informed them about his concerns over the decision, the Pakistani foreign minister said.

"UAE is our best friend but they didn't discuss or consult with us before extending an invitation to India," he added.

According to Qureshi, an emergency meeting of OIC group on Kashmir in Jeddah is also underway where Pakistan foreign secretary Tehmina Janjua is representing her country and she would also raise the issue in the meeting.

Earlier, Pakistani lawmakers also opposed the decision to invite Indian foreign minister in OIC meeting to be held on March 1-2 and demanded the Prime Minister Imran Khan's government to boycott the meeting.

"It’s an insult and a ridiculous step to invite Indian foreign minister [...] despite knowing that India is killing innocent Kashmiris […]," Khawaja Asif, former foreign minister and leader of opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz said in his speech in the parliament aired on state-run television.

Pakistan should immediately contact the Islamic countries and told them that it’s “unacceptable act” for Islamabad, Asif suggested.

Ruling Pakistan Terhreek-e-Insaf party’s senior leader Fakhar Imam and several other lawmakers also called on the government to boycott the OIC meeting.

“I fully support the opposition leaders’ demand to boycott the OIC meeting and we couldn't bear India in any OIC meeting," Imam said.

Also, Sirajul Haq, head of Jamaat-e-Islami, wrote a letter to Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, asking him to boycott the OIC meeting.