Pakistani MPs oppose move to invite India to OIC meet

By Islamuddin Sajid </p> <p>ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AA) – Pakistani lawmakers on Tuesday opposed a decision to invite Indian external minister as &quot;Guest of Honor&quot; to the upcoming meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to be held in Abu Dhabi.</p> <p> </p> <p>The members of the parliament demanded the prime minister Imran Khan's government to boycott the meeting.</p> <p> </p> <p>&quot;It’s an insult and a ridiculous step to invite Indian foreign minister […] despite knowing that India is killing innocent Kashmiris […],&quot; Khawaja Asif, former foreign minister and leader of opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz said in his speech in the parliament aired on state-run television.</p> <p>Pakistan should immediately contact the Islamic countries and told them that it’s “unacceptable act” for Islamabad, Asif suggested.</p> <p> </p> <p>Ruling Pakistan Terhreek-e-Insaf party’s senior leader Fakhar Imam and several other lawmakers also called on the government to boycott the OIC meeting.</p> <p>“I fully support the opposition leaders’ demand to boycott the OIC meeting and we couldn't bear India in any OIC meeting,&quot; Imam said.</p> <p> </p> <p>Earlier, Sirajul Haq, head of Jamaat-e-Islami, wrote a letter to Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, asking him to boycott the OIC meeting.</p> <p>On Saturday, the Indian External Ministry said the UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan has invited the Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj as the &quot; Guest of Honour&quot; to address the inaugural plenary of the 46th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of OIC. </p> <p> </p> <p>The upcoming OIC session will be held in Abu Dhabi on March 1-2 under the theme 50 years of Islamic cooperation: Road map for prosperity and development.