ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Turkey have decided to convene an emergency meeting of OIC Foreign Ministers in Istanbul on Friday to discuss root causes of growing Islamophobia in the West.

This was announced by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi while addressing a news briefing in Islamabad.

He said he contacted his Turkish counterpart and discussed the world scenario after the New Zealand terrorist attacks.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Turkey being chair of the council floated the idea of convening Foreign Ministers’ meeting and Pakistan seconded it.

“During the meeting, efforts will be made to unify the Ummah and devise a strategy to know the root causes of growing Islamophobia in the West and its implications for Muslims around the world,” he said adding that he would represent Pakistan at the meeting.

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FM Mehmood Qureshi said the government was facilitating relatives of Pakistani citizens, martyred in the New Zealand terrorist attack, in getting visa to travel to Christchurch to attend funerals of their loved ones.

He said visa to the mother of Shaheed Naeem Rashid had been issued so that she could attend last rituals of her son in New Zealand.

The foreign minister said Pakistani High Commission in New Zealand was making all out efforts for affected Pakistanis in that country. He said families of six martyred wanted to bury them in New Zealand while three had expressed wish to bury their dead in Pakistan.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi said parliamentary leaders would be invited for a meeting on March 28 at the parliament house in Islamabad to seek their opinions and guidance on the way to move forward, in the backdrop of post Pulwama developments.

He said he held telephonic contacts with PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif who had assured their cooperation on all issues of national interest and security.

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