Shehbaz Sharif attends emergency OIC conference in Turkey

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif especially attended the emergency meeting of Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) which held at Istanbul on Wednesday.

According to a hand-out issued here, the chief minister was warmly received by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who expressed the sentiments of good gesture when Shehbaz Sharif reached there to attend the OIC Conference.

A meeting was also held between Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. During the meeting, bilateral discussion was held regarding the US announcement about recognizing occupied Bait-ul-Muqaddas as the Israeli capital in addition to further expansion of Pak-Turk relations.

The Chief Minister also held a meeting with Palestinian President Mehmood Abbas on the occasion of OIC Conference.

Turkish President and the Chief Minister strongly condemned the US announcement of accepting occupied Bait-ul-Muqaddas as the Israeli capital and termed it as adding salt to injury of Muslim Ummah.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed the participation of Punjab Chief Minister in the conference and said that he welcomes the participation of Shehbaz Sharif in the special session of OIC Conference.

Shehbaz Sharif said that it is time to maintain unity and cohesion among the Muslim Ummah. The US announcement of accepting occupied Bait-ul-Muqadas as the Israeli capital has become a threat to maintaining peace in the region and all the Muslim countries have rejected this decision.

He said that this decision has been strongly condemned by the world-over. Pakistani people, as well as the global community, is in the state of anger and anguish upon accepting occupied Bait-ul-Muqaddas as the Israeli capital and religious sentiments of the Muslim community have been badly damaged.

This step of the US has also badly weakened the efforts of maintenance of peace; he added and further said that irresponsible and unbelievable policies of the US have damaged the efforts of finding solutions of the crisis. This step of the US has sparked off the old wounds of the Muslims. He said that such policies of the US will leave negative impacts on maintenance of global peace and efforts of resuscitation of peace in the Middle East.

While talking about the Pak-Turk relations, the Chief Minister said that growing economic cooperation between the two countries is strengthening the mutual friendship and added that example of Pak-Turk relations is difficult to find in the history of the nations. He said that Pakistan and Turkey have harmonious point of view about the promotion and strengthening of peace in the region.

Due to the strengthening of democratic norms and continuity of policies, Turkey has emerged as a prosperous and developed country in the world. Both Pakistan and Turkey enjoy exemplary relations because of their close and continuous contacts and enduring friendship. With every passing moment, these relations are being further strengthened, he concluded.