Pakistan FM skips OIC meet in Abu Dhabi after UAE refuses to drop invite to India

The announcement comes a day after Qureshi requested the host — UAE — to review the decision on inviting India to the conclave. Pakistan had Wednesday officially conveyed to the OIC that it may have to boycott the foreign ministers’ conclave if the invitation extended to the Indian external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj to be guest of honour at its inaugural session is not withdrawn.

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“The United Arab Emirates officials had responded saying that when the invitation was extended, the Pulwama attack had not happened and that it would be hard to retract the invitation,” said Qureshi.

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In his letter to OIC Secretary-General Dr Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen, Qureshi had mentioned the deteriorating security situation in the region after “violation of the Line of Control (LoC) by India”.

India’s engagement with the OIC comes in the midst of escalating tension between India and Pakistan.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj reached Abu Dhabi to attend the foreign ministers’ meet Thursday night. She is expected to raise the issue of terrorism, amidst Indo-Pak tensions following the Pulwama terror attack.

It is for the first time that India has been invited to a meeting of the OIC, an influential grouping of 57 Islamic countries, as the guest of honour.

The OIC — formerly Organisation of Islamic Conference — is the second largest inter-governmental organisation in the world after the UN, with a membership of 57 states in four continents. The OIC describes itself as “the collective voice of the Muslim world”, and its stated objective is “to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony among various people of the world”.

The OIC has reserved its membership for Muslim-majority countries. Russia, Thailand, and couple of other small countries have Observer status.