Saudi Arabia unwilling to back OIC ministers’ meeting on Kashmir

[Malik Alpha]

Most probably usual propaganda against Saudi Arabia. Wait for an authentic source instead of relying on these unknown sources.

 

[AMRAAM]

ISLAMABAD: As the Senior Officials Meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation starts in Jeddah on Feb 9 (Sunday) to make preparations for the OIC’s Council of Foreign Ministers, a diplomatic source said on Wednesday that Saudi Arabia has shown reluctance to accept Pakistan’s request for an immediate meeting of the CFM on Kashmir.

Islamabad’s feeling of unease with the OIC on its failure to get the CFM’s meeting appears to be growing.

Prime Minister Imran Khan voiced frustration over the OIC’s silence on Kashmir while speaking at a think-tank during his visit to Malaysia.

He said: “The reason is that we have no voice and there is a total division amongst [us]. We can’t even come together as a whole on the OIC meeting on Kashmir.”

Pakistan has been pushing for the foreign ministers’ meeting of the 57-member bloc of Muslim countries, which is the second largest intergovernmental body after the UN, since India annexed occupied Kashmir last August.

Although since then there has been a meeting of the contact group on Kashmir on the sidelines of UN General Assembly session in New York and a report by the OIC’s Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission on the rights abuses in India-held Kashmir, no progress could be made towards the CFM’s meeting.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, while underscoring the importance of CFM for Pakistan at a recent presser, said it was needed to send a clear message from Ummah on the Kashmir issue.

Imran voiced frustration over OIC’s silence during his Malaysia visit

Support from Riyadh is considered a must for any move at the OIC, which is dominated by Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries from the Gulf.

The kingdom made several proposals to Pakistan to avoid the CFM including holding of a parliamentary forum or speakers’ conference from Muslim countries and, according to one source, a joint meeting on Palestine and Kashmir issues. Pakistan has persisted with its proposal so far.

Islamabad’s position has been that speakers’ meeting is not commensurate with the seriousness of the situation in occupied Kashmir. Secondly, some in Islamabad were worried that the speakers forum could be used by Riyadh for Iran bashing because the speaker of Saudi Shura Dr Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al Sheikh had undertaken some lobbying in that regard with some of his counterparts.

It should be recalled that it were Turkey, Malaysia and Iran that have unequivocally rejected India’s annexation of Kashmir and voiced serious concerns on atrocities committed by Indian security forces on Kashmiris in the occupied valley.

Moreover, there were apprehensions that clubbing the Kashmir dispute with Palestine at a meeting would effectively put the Kashmir issue on the backburner.

Riyadh had, however, soon after Pakistan’s absence at the Kuala Lumpur summit shown flexibility on the proposal for CFM. Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan indicated that in meetings with Mr Qureshi and PM Khan during his visit to Islamabad in December, when the two sought Saudi support for the proposed meeting.

The Saudi FM was then here to thank Pakistani leadership for staying away from the Malaysia summit because of his country’s reservations. But, then Islamabad missed the bus, fearing that convening of a CFM at this stage would appear as a quid pro quo for shunning Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad’s initiative.

The Saudi flexibility too was short-lived and soon Riyadh reverted to its position on the CFM on Kashmir.

FM Qureshi reiterated Islamabad’s desire for the meeting during his visit to Saudi Arabia for defusing tensions in the Persian Gulf after the assassination of Iranian Commander Gen Qassem Soleimani. However, he has not received a positive response as yet. Mr Qureshi recently said he hoped that the Saudis would “not disappoint us”.

Senior Officials Meeting for making preparations for the routine 47th CFM is being held in Jeddah from Sunday. It is expected that the usual resolutions on Kashmir would be included in the agenda of the foreign ministers’ meeting scheduled to be held in Niger in April, but still no special focus on the plight of Kashmiris, who have been enduring lockdown that is now in its 185th day since abrogation of Article 370.

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2020

The frustrating news of the day!

Pakistan's time will come!! I.A.

 

[FuturePAF]

Its the Kashmiri People that have to force the world to hear them. only when the Kashmiri people unify in active peaceful defiance of the Indian forces will Saudi Arabia and the rest of the nations of the world have to take the aspirations of the Kashmiri people seriously. The Saudis will not go against one of their largest customers. They have squandered their international leverage.

 

[Kambojaric]

Its money that binds Pakistan to Saudi now. The facade of brotherhood that had been cultivated from Faisals time has been broken now and for the first time i have seen wide spread anti-Saudi sentiment in the country following Delhis autocratic annexation in Kashmir. Focus on your economy Pakistan. Thats the only way we can have an independent foreign policy.

 

[Ghareeb_Da_Baal]

why is anyone surprised?

 

[khansaheeb]

Even if you mange to get some joint statement - what exactly do you think it will achieve?

Sanctions on India hopefully.

 

[Jackdaws]

Sanctions on India hopefully.

What kind of sanctions? Has the OIC ever imposed any sanctions on anyone?
At most they can restrict supply of oil and there are enough Countries like the US which prevent it.

 

[GriffinsRule]

What would be the implications of Pakistan unilaterally leaving the OIC.
There is a clear divide happening, ie the Saudi camp and the Turkish-Malaysian camp. Pakistan has shown itself unable to effectively be a part of both groups to further its interest. All its moves have been after short-term gains, and even some of those have not been forthcoming.
I think the time is right for Pakistan to fully assert itself, even if its at the peril of losing financial support from the Arabs that I feel has now become a noose around its neck instead of a crutch.

 

[PakFactor]

Just leave the OIC it’s a toothless organization. The whole concept of Ummah is done with we need to create a Non Arab block and chart our own destiny we can’t deal with Arabs any more.

IKs biggest mistake was not going to the Malaysian Summit — which would have been much better and could have allowed Pakistan to reposition themselves in the Muslim World.

 

[waz]

Shocking snub but I’ll wait for more news, but if this is what happens after Imran didn’t go to the Malaysia summit then treat them like any other country.

 

[pakpride00090]

Never liked these Arabs.... Imagine if these gulf arab countries threatened to kick out all Indian expatriates and block remittances... That would be enough to force India to rethink.

In the words of Gen Asad Durrani , every foreign policy decision by Pakistan was bad and foolish except development of nuclear weapons... We Pakistani proud ourselves for shooting down israeli jets and protecting arabs but what have arabs done anything for us.

None of them participated in our wars
None of them ever bullied and threatened India
All of them bestowed national awards on Modi after the annexation..


But Pakistanis stilll Ummah Chummah.....Dumb Low IQ Pakistanis will never learn or understand...Pakistanis are slave and will always be a slave because they don't have a mental aptitude of a ruler and king. They throw few dollars and we start jumping up and down... Slave rulers and slave people.

 

[SIPRA]

Hardly a surprise.

 

[Bengal71]

The Saudi FM was then here to thank Pakistani leadership for staying away from the Malaysia summit because of his country’s reservations. But, then Islamabad missed the bus, fearing that convening of a CFM at this stage would appear as a quid pro quo for shunning Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad’s initiative.

The Saudi flexibility too was short-lived and soon Riyadh reverted to its position on the CFM on Kashmir.

Arbi-Pakistani vai vai. Yay or nay?

Saudi Arab zindabad

Even if you mange to get some joint statement - what exactly do you think it will achieve?

It will achieve absolutely nothing.

The only purpose this piece serves is to poke the Arab obsessed Pakistanis in the eyes what their beloved actually are. But I bet my life, Pakistanis won't learn.

 

[PakAlp]

Just leave the OIC it’s a toothless organization. The whole concept of Ummah is done with we need to create a Non Arab block and chart our own destiny we can’t deal with Arabs any more.

IKs biggest mistake was not going to the Malaysian Summit — which would have been much better and could have allowed Pakistan to reposition themselves in the Muslim World.

Saudi Arabia clearly thinks of Pakistan as a slave nation, it shows respect to India because India will kick Saudis back. If Pakistan attended KL summit then how the hell would this have been a anti saudi or anti Arab move, we are also part of other organisations which Saudi or arabs are not part of.

Using this logic Saudi invited india to a Islamic Summit OIC, they gifted Modi golden necklace and UAE leaders worshipped in a Mandir with Indians. This all was a anti Pakistani act but Pakistan will stay quiet because we are slaves.

Pakistani people and government needs to grow a pair and stand up for themselves. They need to be part of a Islamic block where they are regarded as a major and equal member. IK should have told Saudis we will attend KL summit because it's not anti Saudi or Arab so what's your problem. We let down those nations who supported us on Kashmir and supported a nation which favours India. Why would anyone show us any respect? Look at India, any nation which spoke against Kashmir, India did not stay quiet but challenged them.

If Saudi Arabia is upset because of Iran participation then Iran and Pakistan are part of the D8 group, SCO and ECO. This also proves how certain brotherly nations must be working 24 7 to undermine our alliances. Traitors at their best.

 

[Rollno21]

OIC will have some importance only when it includes the world's second biggest Muslim population.