Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood met Qatar’s Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Regional Affairs, Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi, on the sidelines of the 48th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) in Islamabad.
The Foreign Secretary and Assistant Foreign Minister reviewed the multi-faceted Pakistan-Qatar relations, in addition to exchanging views on regional and international issues.
The Foreign Secretary, while highlighting the excellent bilateral relationship, reiterated Pakistan’s resolve toenhance cooperation in all areas of mutual interest. He also lauded Qatar’s constructive contribution towards regional peace and stability, particularly in the context of the Afghan peace process. The Foreign Secretary also noted the convergence of views between the two sides on the imperative of addressing the urgent humanitarian and economic needs of the Afghan people. He stressed that after 40 years of conflict and instability, there was a unique opportunity to consolidate peace in Afghanistan and this opportunity must be seized.
The Assistant Foreign Minister appreciated Pakistan’s leadership in facilitating concrete outcomes from the Extraordinary session of the OIC-CFM held in Islamabad in December 2021 for addressing the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. He also congratulated Pakistan on the successful hosting of the 48th OIC-CFM session.
Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood apprised of the grave human rights situation in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). He also emphasized that the recent incident of firing of a missile into Pakistan from India raised multiple disturbing questions which required a joint probe for establishing the facts. While Pakistan was acting with restraint and responsibility, India’s irresponsible conduct was posing a threat to regional peace andsecurity. The Foreign Secretary stressed that the international community must hold India accountable for its actions.
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