Pakistan honoured to host OIC Ministerial Conference on Women: Tarar

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar said that Pakistan is hosting the 9th Ministerial Conference on Women of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), bringing together delegations from all 57 member states to advance women’s empowerment across the Muslim world.

Addressing at a press conference on Sunday alongside Members of Parliament Wajiha Qamar and Saba Sadiq, the minister said Pakistan was honoured to host the two-day conference, which would also mark the country’s assumption of the OIC Women’s Ministerial Conference chairmanship from Egypt for the next two years.

Taar said technical sessions of the conference were held on Sunday, the main ministerial session would take place on Monday (today with the participation of ministers and observers from OIC member states.

He further said that the conference is being held under the theme, “Socio-Economic and Political Empowerment of Women in the OIC Countries: Challenges and Way Forward.”

He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would formally inaugurate the conference, during which Pakistan would officially assume the chairmanship of the OIC Ministerial Conference on Women.

Azam Nazeer Tarar said that Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Federal Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja, and a large number of women will also participate in the conference.

“We are fully prepared to undertake this responsibility and will strive to fulfil it in the best possible manner,” he said, adding that a large number of foreign delegations had already arrived in Islamabad.

The minister said the conference aims to strengthen the role of women in society by developing practical proposals and identifying concrete measures to promote their advancement across OIC member states.

He said that the conference would deliberate on key challenges facing women, review progress made by member states, and formulate a future roadmap to enhance women’s participation in all spheres of life.

Tarar said member states would present their respective perspectives and experiences, while the conference would conclude with the adoption of the “Islamabad Declaration,” reflecting the collective commitment of OIC member states to advancing women’s rights and expanding opportunities for women.

He said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, was overseeing arrangements for the visiting delegations, while the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting was also playing a key role.

Describing the event as a matter of national pride, Tarar said it was the first time Pakistan had been given the opportunity to host the OIC Ministerial Conference on Women. He added that comprehensive arrangements had been made for the coverage of the conference by both local and international media.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026