Pakistan will host the 17th extraordinary session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers on Afghanistan in Islamabad on December 19.

An extraordinary meeting is being held after 41 years in Pakistan.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in a statement on Saturday said that P5 countries and the European Agency have also been invited to attend the meeting.

Earlier this week, Saudi Arabia, being Chair of the OIC, had called for an 'Extraordinary Session' of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFMs) to discuss the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.

Pakistan had welcomed the decision and also offered to host the session on December 17 in Islamabad.

"We have also offered to host the meeting, in Islamabad, on 17 December 2021. We are confident that the OIC Member States will endorse this offer,” Qureshi said in a video statement.

The FM further said that Afghanistan is a founding member of the OIC. “As part of the Islamic Ummah, we are bound by fraternal bonds of amity and brotherhood with the people of Afghanistan,” he added.

Pakistan seeks to host OIC moot on Afghanistan

“Today, our Afghan brothers and sisters need us more than ever before. As you are aware, Afghanistan currently faces a serious humanitarian situation – millions of Afghans including women and children confront an uncertain future due to a shortage of food, medicine, and other essential life supplies. The advent of winter has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis,” he added.

The foreign minister stated that the OIC must step in to help “our Afghan brethren”.