Ishaq Dar reaches Jeddah to attend OIC meeting on Somaliland dispute

JEDDAH (Dunya News) - Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has reached Saudi Arabia to attend the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting on the Somaliland dispute.

According to the Foreign Office, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ahmed Farooq and Consul General Mustafa Rabbani received Ishaq Dar upon his arrival in Jeddah. The foreign minister is scheduled to participate later today in the extraordinary session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers.

The Foreign Office said that Ishaq Dar will also hold bilateral meetings with foreign ministers of OIC member states on the sidelines of the conference. During his visit, he is expected to inaugurate the new building of the Pakistani Consulate in Jeddah.

The emergency OIC meeting has been convened in response to Israel’s recent announcement recognising Somaliland as an independent state and the subsequent fast-developing situation in Somalia. The OIC has already termed Israel’s move a clear violation of Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

During the meeting, Ishaq Dar will reaffirm Pakistan’s strong support for Somalia’s unity, sovereignty, and security within its internationally recognised borders. He will also present Pakistan’s stance on the issue and discuss broader regional and global developments, as well as prospects for enhanced bilateral cooperation with fellow OIC members.

Somaliland, located in northwestern Somalia, declared independence in 1991 following the collapse of Somalia’s central government but has not been recognised as a sovereign state by the United Nations or major international organisations.