The Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) organized a commemorative webinar titled “OIC at 50: Strengthening Partnership and Future Prospects” on September 24, 2020 celebrating 50 years of the establishment of OIC. Honorable Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Foreign Minister of Pakistan and Honorable Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen, Secretary General OIC, addressed the webinar through messages recorded especially for the occasion. The speakers at the webinar included: Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the OIC, Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, Mr. Khalid Rehman, Director General, Institute of Policy Studies and Mr. Ahmed Qureshi, Executive Director, Youth Forum for Kashmir.
The webinar was moderated by Mr. Najam Rafique, Director Research at the ISSI, who stated that the OIC’s existence is based on the idea that there is an ideological commonality among its members that is stronger than any differences. As momentous changes have swept across the Muslim world over the past decade, the OIC has emerged as an important voice defending the dignity and rights of its members. OIC has consistently taken a principled stand on two of the longest standing disputes of the Muslim World – Kashmir and Palestine. In both cases, OIC’s support and stand on these disputes has been a source of strength for the people in Indian occupied Kashmir and Palestine, who have waged a heroic struggle against the forces of occupation.
