Excellency Recep Tayyib Erdogan, President of the Republic of Turkey
Your Majesties, Royal Highnesses, Excellencies,
Excellency, Mr. Secretary General, Distinguished Delegates,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Assalam-o-Alaikum
Let me begin by extending our
heartfelt facilitations to you Mr. President on the assumption of the
Chairmanship of the 13th Islamic Summit Conference by the Republic of Turkey
I am happy to be in this historic
city of Istanbul
famous for its beauty and elegance. I thank the Government of Turkey for the
warm and generous hospitality extended to me and my delegation.
I take this opportunity to convey
our appreciation to the Republic
of Egypt
We also commend Secretary General
Iyad Ameen Madani’s wise and able stewardship of our Organization.
Mr. Chairman,
We are meeting at a time when the
Muslim Ummah is facing unprecedented threat to its fraternity and harmony. The
selection of the theme of the Summit
- "Unity and Solidarity for Justice and Peace”, therefore, is most
relevant and timely.
It is unfortunate that from
amongst us, some dark forces harboring detestable notions, are trampling on
fundamental human values. Their brutality and savagery is repelling. Our hearts
bleed when they seek to justify their brutality in the name of our noble
religion.
We must not allow the divisive
schemes of these negatives forces to succeed. We must all hold fast together
and resolve our differences through consultations amongst ourselves
The challenges confronting the
Muslim world are enormous. We are proud inheritors of a civilization that was a
trail-blazer in science and technology, art and culture and philosophy. Sadly,
today we are suffering, in many parts, from underdevelopment, illiteracy and
backwardness.
Collectively, we need to focus on
reclaiming our roles as harbingers of positive change. We must establish peace
in our own societies, promote respect for differing views and curb any tendency
to impose our views on others.
For the peace and security of the
world, it is equally critical to shed colonial legacies of today’s polity and
to rectify the historic injustices. Pakistan opposes foreign domination
of Muslim people and occupation of their territories, as well as denial of
their right to self determination.
Mr. Chairman,
An immediate, just and fair
resolution of the Palestinian question is critical for peace, especially in the
Middle East . Pakistan ’s support to our
Palestinian brothers has remained unreserved and firm. We will continue to
support the people of Palestine
in their struggle for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, with
Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
The unresolved Jammu and Kashmir Dispute is the other
longstanding dispute of concern to the Muslim Ummah. The people of this
occupied territory look towards the OIC Member States’ further continued
support to their just struggle for their right to self-determination and the
settlement of the issue in accordance with the resolutions of the United
Nations Security Council.
The continued inability of the
international community to promote a just and fair solution to these issues
creates distrust in the efficacy of the international order. We must deliver on
people’s hopes and aspirations, to deny space to those who exploit the sense of
injustice and the pain of unabated injuries.
Mr. Chairman,
We are deeply concerned at the
continuing and deliberate attempts to defame Islam and denigrate our Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) and our religious symbols. There are increasing
instances of religious intolerance and discrimination against Muslims,
especially Muslim minorities. We condemn Islamophobia, xenophobia and hate
speech.
We attach high importance to the
freedom of expression but we stand equally committed to the concern shared by
OIC member states that it should not be misused to attack or hurt people’s
sentiments or religious beliefs.
The World today needs, more than
ever, a culture of tolerance and co-existence in societies. Pakistan has
participated and will continue to contribute towards promoting inter-cultural
and inter-religious dialogue.
Recent tragic incidents, from Brussels to Lahore and from
Paris to Ankara ,
have once again reminded us that terrorism and violent extremism are a global
phenomenon, not confined to any country or region. They have nothing to do with
religion, nationality, creed or ethnicity.
Countering them requires comprehensive policies and increased
international cooperation.
Mr. Chairman,
The guiding principles of my
Government’s foreign policy are: “Peace for Development” and “Peaceful
Neighborhood”. Immediately upon assuming office, I sent the message of peace to
all our neighbours.
In the spirit of peace, we are
committed to resolving all outstanding issues with India ,
including the issue of Jammu and
Kashmir .
During the 70th
Session of the UNGA in September 2015, I suggested a four point strategy aimed
at improving Pakistan-India relations and ensuring peace and development in the
region. Despite odds, we hold on to the hope that our desire for peace would be
reciprocated.
We look forward to an
uninterruptible, sustained and result oriented dialogue with India .
Mr. Chairman,
Lasting peace in Afghanistan
will open new vistas for regional economic cooperation and infrastructure
connectivity, which is another crucial element of my government’s policy. The
most promising manifestation of this policy is the China-Pakistan Economic
Corridor (CPEC), which comprises multiple infrastructure and development
projects that would benefit not only the two countries but the entire region.
Mr. Chairman,
The OIC-2025 Programme of Action
that we would adopt at this Summit
is the first step towards realization of our joint commitment of making
progress on the 18 identified priority areas. Pakistan stands ready to contribute
towards effective implementation of the Programme of Action.
Socio-economic development and
progress in science and technology are inter-dependent. Pakistan is
privileged to host the OIC Committee on Science and Technology – COMSTECH. This
Committee has, despite resource constraints, taken commendable steps for
strengthening science and technology capacities in OIC Member States including
hundreds of research grants and S & T thematic workshops. COMSTECH is also
considering a major initiative, Ibn al Haitham Program for intra-OIC movement
of researchers to mark the 1000th anniversary of this great Muslim scientist.
We welcome the generous offer of government of Kazakhastan to host the first
'Science and Technology Summit'.
Mr. Chairman,
As the second largest
inter-governmental organization, OIC must strive to reform the United Nations
to make it more effective in dealing with the current and emerging challenges
that confront all of us.
A more democratic, accountable,
transparent and effective Security Council is in the interest of all the member
states.
We must ensure adequate
representation of the OIC Member States in the membership of an expanded
Security Council. With clear stakes, we should all join hands to safeguard and
promote our collective interest in this process.
As custodians of the affairs of
the Muslim Ummah, the decisions that we take today would impact its future.
Undoubtedly, well considered decisions, not only political but also in the
fields of economics, education, science, technology, society and culture, are
essential for the realization of our common goal of building peaceful,
progressive and prosperous societies in our countries.
I thank
you.
No comments:
Post a Comment