Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has arrived in Jeddah to participate in the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) foreign ministers, with Palestine at the forefront of discussions.
Dar touched down at King Abdulaziz International Airport on Monday and was welcomed by senior Pakistani diplomats, including Ambassador Fawad Sher, Ambassador Ahmad Farooq, and Consul General Khalid Majid.
According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, the extraordinary session will focus on Israel’s ongoing military offensive, its proposed takeover of Gaza, and systematic violations of Palestinian rights.
Dar is set to call for an end to Israeli occupation, restoration of Palestinian rights, and immediate humanitarian access to Gaza. Pakistan has categorically rejected Israel’s plan for full military control over Gaza City, calling it unlawful and dangerous.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has already welcomed a UN resolution calling for a ceasefire, while Pakistan’s envoy to the UN expressed dismay over earlier vetoes against similar measures.
Dar will also meet counterparts from key Muslim nations on the sidelines of the OIC meeting during his two-day visit from August 25–26.
Mounting humanitarian crisis
The timing of the OIC session underscores the gravity of the Gaza crisis. Israeli forces have stepped up operations in northern and eastern Gaza, with reports of renewed assaults in Jabalia.
The humanitarian toll continues to worsen. Gaza is now classified as facing “catastrophic hunger,” with the UN estimating that 25% of the population is starving. The Gaza Health Ministry confirms nearly 300 deaths from starvation, including over 100 children.
Israel’s August 8 five-point plan aims to secure control of Gaza City, push its one million residents further south, and seize refugee camps. World leaders have criticized the move, with Britain, Turkey, Australia, and Finland warning it would escalate bloodshed without resolving the conflict.
OIC’s role
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, formed in 1969, brings together 47 Muslim-majority nations to represent the collective voice of the Islamic world. Earlier this month, the OIC demanded an immediate ceasefire and held Israel responsible for what it described as genocide in Gaza.
Its latest statement urges a halt to “Israeli aggression against civilians and infrastructure in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem,” reinforcing its call for justice for Palestinians.