Pak to Skip OIC Meet in Abu Dhabi Over Invitation to Sushma Swaraj

Pakistan foreign minister has expressed his “reservations” over the OIC invitation to Sushma Swaraj.

Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj (left) and Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday, 27 February, said that he will not attend the upcoming Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meet in Abu Dhabi due to Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's presence at the conclave as the ‘guest of honour.’

India has been invited for the very first time to attend the foreign ministers' conclave in Abu Dhabi next month where Sushma Swaraj will be the ‘guest of honour.’

Speaking to Geo News, Qureshi said: “I have spoken to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Foreign Minister and have expressed my reservations over her (Sushma Swaraj) invitation. I have made myself clear that India has shown aggression. Under the current circumstances, it will not be possible for me to attend OIC meeting where Sushma Swaraj is present.”

The development comes after the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Tuesday, 26 February, bombed the biggest Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror outfit's biggest training camp in Balakot, Pakistan, 12 days after a JeM suicide bomber killed 40 Central Reserve Police Force troopers.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay K Gokhale told the media that the IAF strikes killed "a very large number" of terrorists and their trainers.

Leaders from Opposition parties demanded that Pakistan government should boycott the OIC meeting in the wake of the IAF attack.