Makkah-Al-Mukkarmah, 16 August 2012
President Asif Ali Zardari has urged the Muslim Heads of States and
Governments to join Pakistan in appealing all the groups in
Afghanistan to join the reconciliation and peace process.
Addressing the 4th Extraordinary Islamic Summit here in
Makkah-Al-Mukarramah today, President Zardari said that Pakistan has
been seriously affected by the unrest in Afghanistan adding that the
fallout of the Mujahideen resistance to the former Soviet Union was
still haunting Pakistan.
Reiterating Pakistan’s support to Afghan-led and Afghan-owned
reconciliation process, the President said that peace and stability in
Afghanistan was vital for the peace and stability of Pakistan. Indeed,
it is vital for peace and stability of the region and the world, the
President remarked.
attraction and now the world has seen what war has brought to that
beautiful country. He said that through past experience Pakistan knows
what war means. The President said that we have been the allies of the
world in the war against rival ideology and we have witnessed the
introduction of heroine as a war weapon, the continued.
He said that there were mora than three million Afghan refugees in
Pakistan and expressed the hope that the Afghan refugees will soon
return to their homeland to rebuild their country. The President said
that his brother President Karzai and he himself were determined that
these efforts succeed.
The President said that Afghanistan has taught us that while thinkers
and philosophers talk of changing the destinies of nations, they must
also have knowledge of the societies they wish to change.
Commenting on other issues of major concern to the Muslim world, the
President said that Muslim communities in different parts of the world
continue to suffer denial of their human rights. He said that Kashmir
issue continues to fester. Reiterating Pakistan’s commitment to a just
and peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the
UN Security Council Resolutions, he expressed the hope that Pakistan’s
engagement with India will be result oriented and purposeful.
The President said that unresolved Palestinian question was a deep
wound in the heart of Middle East. He said that Pakistan fully
supports the creation of an independent and viable Palestinian state.
Referring to some recent developments in Middle East and other parts
of Muslim world, the President said that fast moving and far reaching
developments have been taking place in North Africa and the Middle
East. Over the past two years we have witnessed youth aspiring for
change and democratic transformation. He said that Egypt and Tunisia
have completed peaceful transformations in their countries and we wish
them success in their difficult transformation.
Calling for putting an immediate end to the bloodshed in Syria, the
President said Pakistan is deeply pained to see Syria bleed. He said
that Pakistan desires that Syria must forge its own destiny in
accordance with the aspirations of its people. He said that we must
respect Syria’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. The
international community, the President continued, must respect the
principles of non interference and non intervention. He said that the
OIC should continue to have leverage with Syria. The President also
appealed to all sides in Syria to declare ceasefire during
Eid-ul-Fitr.
The President said that large scale killing of Muslims in Myanmar was
a matter of deep concern for Pakistan. He said that he has addressed a
personal letter to the President of Myanmar urging him to take
necessary steps to end the bloodshed. In regard, the President called
upon OIC to use its good offices for promoting a process of protecting
the life and property of the Muslims of Myanmar.
The President said that we are passing through a period of upheaval
and turmoil. The global political and economic landscape, he said, is
changing and changing fast and that the historical forces have brought
mankind face to face with new challenges.
The President said that these challenges also offer great
opportunities. He said that we must seize the moment and take
advantage of the available opportunities. The President said that
turmoil was brewing in many parts of the world and there was an
element of uncertainty. He said that this is more so in the Muslim
world, adding that a number of Islamic countries find themselves in a
storm.
President Zardari emphasized that unity and solidarity of Muslim Ummah
was critical to achieving success and the Muslim world must use their
collective strength to defend just Islamic causes. He said that we
should work collectively to promote global peace and prosperity. This,
he said, can be done by expanding cooperation among OIC countries.
Calling upon the Muslim world to take ownership of their destinies,
President urged the Muslim world leaders to evolve a mechanism for
developing a collective response to the challenges before the Muslim
world. In this regard, the President has proposed OIC to consider
sending Special Missions comprising Heads of State and Government to
areas of conflict that affect the Muslims.
He said that terrorism continues to haunt Muslim societies and has
distorted the face of Islam. The President said that in Pakistan, we
have lost over 40,000 lives including over 6500 personnel of security
forces in the fight against terrorism adding that our material losses
have reached almost 80 billion dollars.
The President said that we need to fight collectively against suicide
bombings and the mindset that promotes it. He appealed to the Ulema
from all over the world to issue a solemn declaration against suicide
attacks and also against forces that back such attacks. He said that
there was a need to collectively fight against the forces that
encourage the militancy. In such an effort, he said, Pakistan would be
happy to play its role.
Appreciating the holding of the Summit, the President said that the
OIC summit has a special significance for the Pakistani nation adding
that date on which it was taking place was the Independence Day of
Pakistan. The President said that he was grateful to the Custodian of
the Two Holy Mosques for holding this Summit in the holy month of
Ramadan and in the Holy City of Makkah.
Lauding personal interest and invaluable services of King Abdullah bin
Abdel Aziz Al Saud, and the Government and people of Saudi Arabia, who
have always taken the lead in finding solutions to the issues of
concern to the Muslim Ummah, the President said Pakistan deeply values
its relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as our bonds are
special, unmatched and deeply rooted. He said that we are grateful for
the support King Abdullah, the Government and the people of Saudi
Arabia have always extended to us.
The President also appreciated the initiative to establish a Centre
for Dialogue amongst various doctrines of Islam saying that it will go
a long way in achieving the objectives of this conference – of
creating harmony and solidarity in the Muslim Ummah.
While Reiterating Pakistan’s full support and complete solidarity with
the Muslim nations, the President concluded his speech praying to
Almighty to give Muslim Ummah wisdom and fortitude to face the
challenges confronting it with courage. He expressed the hope that the
summit will reinforce Islamic solidarity to overcome the challenges
faced by the Muslim world.
Following is the complete text of President’s speech;
Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim
Fourth Extraordinary Islamic Summit
Makkah-Al Mukarramah
(14-15 August 2012)
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
Your Majesty King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud,
Royal Highnesses,
His Excellency Secretary General OIC,
Distinguished Delegates,
Assalam-o-Alaikum,
My head bows before Allah for the honor
to address this august gathering of OIC
Heads of State and Government,
In this holy month of Ramadan,
On the Night of Lailatul Qadr, and
In the Holy City of Makkah
It is indeed a great honor.
We are grateful to the Custodian of the
Two Holy Mosques for holding this
Summit.
We deeply appreciate the excellent
arrangements and generous hospitality
extended to us.
Your Majesty and Excellencies,
This summit has a special significance
for the Pakistani nation.
It is taking place on our Independence
Day.
Pakistan achieved independence on
27th of Ramadan, in 1947.
Pakistan deeply values its relations with
the Kingdom.
Our bonds are special, unmatched and deeply rooted.
We are grateful for the support it has
always extended to us.
Your Majesty and Excellencies,
We are passing through, a period of upheaval and turmoil.
The global political and economic land-
scape is changing and changing fast.
Historical forces have brought mankind
face to face with new challenges.
These challenges also offer great opportunities.
We must seize the moment; seize the opportunities.
In many parts of the world turmoil is brew-ing.
There is also an element of uncertainty.
This is more so in the Muslim world.
A number of Islamic countries find themselves in a storm.
Through past experience Pakistan knows what war means.
We have been the allies of the world in the war against rival ideology.
We have witnessed the introduction of heroine as a war weapon.
I remember Afghanistan as a tourist attraction.
We have seen what war has brought to that beautiful country.
The fallout of the Mujahideen resistance, to the former Soviet Union,
is still haunting us.
Pakistan in particular has been seriously affected by unrest in Afghanistan.
There are more than three million Afghan refugees in Pakistan.
Peace and stability in Afghanistan, is vital for the peace and
stability of Pakistan.
Indeed, it is vital for peace and stability of the region and the world.
Pakistan supports Afghan-led and Afghan-owned reconciliation process.
We have appealed to all groups to join the reconciliation process.
I also urge this august gathering, to appeal to all groups, to join
the peace process.
We hope the Afghan refugees will soon return to their homeland to
rebuild their country.
My brother President Karzai and I are determined that these efforts succeed.
Afghanistan has taught us that while thinkers and philosophers talk
of changing the destinies of nations.
They must also have knowledge of the societies they wish to change.
Your Majesty and Excellencies,
Muslim communities in different parts of
the world, continue to suffer denial of their human rights.
Kashmir issue continues to fester.
Pakistan remains committed to a just and peaceful resolution of the
Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the UN Security Council
Resolutions.
We hope that our engagement with India, will be result oriented and purposeful.
The unresolved Palestinian question is a deep wound in the heart of
Middle East.
We fully support the creation of an independent and viable Palestinian state.
Fast moving and far reaching developments have been taking place, in
North Africa and the Middle East.
Over the past two years, we have witnessed youth aspiring for change
and democratic transformation.
Egypt and Tunisia have completed peaceful transformations in their countries.
We wish them success in their difficult transformation.
Your Majesty and Excellencies,
We are deeply pained to see Syria bleed.
The bloodshed in Syria must stop forthwith.
Syria must forge its own destiny, in accordance with the aspirations
of its people.
We must respect Syria’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.
The international community must respect, the principles of non
inter-ference and non intervention.
The OIC should continue to have lever-age with Syria.
We call for engagement instead of isolating Syria.
I appeal to all sides in Syria to declare ceasefire during Eid-ul-Fitr.
The large scale killing of Muslims in Myanmar is a matter of deep concern.
I have addressed a personal letter to the President of Myanmar,
urging him to take necessary steps to end the bloodshed.
The OIC should offer its good offices for
promoting a process, of protecting the life and property of the
Muslims of Myanmar.
Your Majesty and Excellencies,
Terrorism continues to haunt our societies.
It has distorted the face of Islam.
In Pakistan, we have lost over 40,000 lives including over 6500
personnel of security forces in the fight against terrorism.
Our material losses have reached almost 80 billion dollars.
We need to fight collectively against suicide bombings and the
mindset that promotes it.
I appeal to the Ulema from all over the world, to issue a solemn
declaration, against suicide attacks, and also against forces, that
back such attacks.
We should collectively fight against the forces that encourage the militancy.
Pakistan would be happy to play its role in such an effort.
We must take ownership of our own destiny.
We need to develop a mechanism, for developing a collective response,
to the challenges before us.
I propose that the OIC consider sending Special Missions, comprising
Heads of State and Government to areas of conflict, that affect the
Muslims.
Your Majesty and Excellencies,
His Majesty King Abdullah bin Abdel Aziz Al Saud, and the Government
and people of Saudi Arabia, have always taken the lead in issues of
concern to the Muslim Ummah.
Unity and solidarity of Muslim Ummah is critical to achieving success.
Your Majesty,
Your initiative to establish a Centre for Dialogue amongst various
doctrines of Islam will go a long way in achieving the objectives of
this conference – of creating harmony and solidarity in the Muslim
Ummah.
We must use our collective strength, to defend just Islamic causes.
We should work collectively to promote global peace and prosperity.
We can do so by expanding cooperation among OIC countries.
I wish to reiterate Pakistan’s full support to, and complete
solidarity with, Muslim nations.
I pray to Almighty Allah, to give us the wisdom and fortitude, to
face the challenges confronting the Muslim Ummah with courage.
I am confident the summit will reinforce Islamic Solidarity, to
overcome the challenges faced by us.
I thank you all.
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