Qureshi gave the statement during the joint session of parliament on Friday and informed that he would not be attending the conference in the UAE on March 1-2. Swaraj has been invited to the OIC meeting as a guest of honour despite strong protest from Pakistan.
Qureshi earlier had officially conveyed to the OIC that it may have to boycott the foreign ministers conclave if the invitation to his Indian counterpart to be guest of honour at the inaugural session is not withdrawn.
Mentioning that the “UAE has always helped Pakistan in difficult times”, Qureshi noted with regret that despite Pakistan’s protest, the OIC’s invitation to Swaraj was not rescinded.
“There was no consultation over the OIC invitation to Indian foreign minister. India is neither a member nor an observer of the OIC,” Qureshi pointed out, adding that he sent two letters – the latest by Friday – to the UAE calling upon the body to withdraw its invitation to the Indian foreign minister. “To our request, UAE responed that the invitations were extended at the time when the tensions between the two countries have not escalated and it will, therefore, be hard to retract the invitation now,” Qureshi informed.
“I have [therefore] decided not to attend OIC Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Abu Dhabi,” the foreign minister announced.
However, a lower-level delegation from Pakistan will attend the OIC session, Qureshi said. The delegation will also staunchly oppose any move to grant observer status to India at the OIC.
Qureshi’s remarks came amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan after the February 14 Pulwama attack by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) that left 40 CRPF personnel dead and forced India to conduct airstrikes on JeM’s training camp in Pakistan’s Balakot.
