Islamabad: Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar chaired a meeting to review preparations for 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women, to be hosted by Pakistan in 2026.
Ishaq Dar underscored the importance of successfully organizing the conference through close coordination with the OIC Secretariat and relevant Ministries.
He highlighted Pakistan's proactive role in promoting gender equality and women's empowerment, noting that the upcoming conference reflects the country's commitment to advancing women's issues within the OIC framework and beyond.
The meeting was attended by the Federal Ministers for Law and Justice, IT and Telecom; SAPM Tariq Bajwa; Secretary Foreign Affairs Amna Baloch, Secretaries of Cabinet Division, Religious Affairs, Human Rights; Pakistan's PR to OIC; and senior officials from Ministries of Foreign Affairs and other concerned departments.
India's aggressive rhetoric and actions are threatening regional peace: Chairman Senate Gilani
Meets Malaysian Senate President to deepen parliamentary and strategic cooperation
KUALA LUMPUR: Chairman Senate of Pakistan, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, met with the President of the Senate of Malaysia, His Excellency Senator Dato Awang Bemee Bin Awang Ali Basah, on Monday in Kuala Lumpur.
The meeting was held in a warm and constructive atmosphere, reflecting the historically close and cordial relations between Pakistan and Malaysia, rooted in shared values, faith, and cultural affinities. Chairman Gilani conveyed his profound appreciation for the Malaysian parliamentary delegation's visit to Islamabad in November and reaffirmed Pakistan's desire to further expand cooperation across all domains.
Chairman Gilani highlighted the strong democratic traditions of both Parliaments and underlined the importance of intensifying interactions between parliamentary leaders. He noted that Pakistan has already notified Parliamentary Friendship Groups for Malaysia in both Houses and welcomed Malaysia's establishment of Parliamentary Friendship Groups for South Asia, which will enhance bilateral exchanges.
The Chairman thanked the Malaysian Parliament for its support of Pakistan's observer status at the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) and expressed gratitude for the Government of Malaysia's generous contribution to Pakistan's flood relief efforts. He recalled that Pakistan had also sent humanitarian relief supplies to Malaysia during its floods last year, reflecting the deep bonds of mutual support.
On political cooperation, Chairman Gilani stressed that evolving geopolitical developments necessitate closer collaboration between the two countries. He appreciated Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif's recent visit to Malaysia, following the official visit of Prime Minister Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim to Pakistan last year, noting that such high-level exchanges inject fresh momentum into bilateral relations and expand cooperation.
Commending Malaysia's effective Chairmanship of ASEAN, Chairman Gilani congratulated the Malaysian leadership on the successful 47th ASEAN Summit held in Kuala Lumpur in October. He reiterated Pakistan's appreciation for Malaysia's continued support for Pakistan's bid to attain Full Dialogue Partnership with ASEAN.
On the economic front, Chairman Gilani lauded Malaysian investments in Pakistan and highlighted attractive incentives offered under Pakistan's Special Economic Zones and the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC). He expressed hope that Malaysian investors would continue to benefit from these opportunities. He added that Pakistan remains committed to supporting Malaysia's manpower requirements, with Pakistani workers known globally for their hard work and reliability.
Exchanging views on regional issues, Chairman Gilani praised Malaysia's principled and consistent advocacy for Palestinian rights, particularly in light of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Discussing Afghanistan, Chairman Gilani articulated Pakistan's long-standing policy of supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan. He expressed deep concern over the continued presence of anti-Pakistan terrorist groups on Afghan soil and emphasized that normalization of bilateral relations requires the Afghan interim authorities to take concrete and verifiable action against these outfits.
On India and the situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), Chairman Gilani warned that India's aggressive rhetoric and actions are threatening regional peace. He highlighted the ongoing human rights violations in IIOJK, India's demographic engineering since 2019, and its unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty in April 2025-an action devoid of legal validity. He stressed that sustainable peace in South Asia requires a just settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute based on the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
Recalling India's aggression of 6-7 May 2025, Chairman Gilani underscored Pakistan's firm resolve to defend its sovereignty, as demonstrated through Operation Bunyan-ul-Marsoos. He urged the international community to play its role in preventing further escalation in the region.
Chairman Gilani reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to regional stability and peaceful coexistence, reiterating that while Pakistan will always respond strongly to safeguard its sovereignty, it remains committed to dialogue and constructive engagement.