NewsGate Press Network

An invite to a house arrested separatists anti-India national to attend a foreign ministers meeting hosted by grouping of Islamic countries in Pakistan has not at all gone done well with the ministry of external affairs here in New Delhi.

On Thursday the 17th of March 2022 during his weekly press briefing Arindam Bagchi, official spokesperson for MEA lambasted OIC, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation for inviting Mirwaiz Mohammad Umar Farooq to an upcoming meeting in Islamabad saying it does not expect the OIC to encourage actors engaged in terrorism and anti-India activities.

Arindam Bagchi said that it is very unfortunate that the OIC “continues to be guided by a single member’s political agenda rather than focusing on other important developmental activities” — referring to Pakistan’s obsession with the Kashmir issue.

“We have seen in India media reports regarding invitation extended by the OIC Secretary General to, I think, the Chairman of the all-party Hurriyat Conference, to attend the 48th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Islamabad on March 22-23.

“The Government of India takes a very serious view of such actions which are indirectly aimed at subverting India’s unity and violating our sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“We do not expect the OIC to encourage actors engaged in terrorism and anti-India activities. It is highly unfortunate the OIC continues to be guided by a single member’s political agenda, rather than focusing on other important developmental activities.

“We have repeatedly called upon the OIC to refrain from allowing vested interests from exploiting its platform for comments on India’s internal affairs.” Media reports suggests Pakistan has invited Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to attend the upcoming OIC Foreign Ministers conference in Islamabad as a “guest of honour”.

There are reports that least 48 Foreign Ministers from the 57-nation OIC have so far confirmed their participation.

This is the second OIC meeting being hosted by Pakistan in three months. In December 2021, Pakistan had hosted a similar meeting of OIC on Afghanistan situation.