Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi perform Umrah

Prime Minister Imran Khan and First Lady Bushra Bibi performed Umrah on Sunday during the official tour of Saudi Arabia.

According to the PM Office and Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed, the doors of the Holy Ka’aba were specially opened for the delegation.

وزیرِ اعظم عمران خان- دروہ سعودی عرب

وزیراعظم عمران خان نے عمرہ کی سعادت حاصل کر لی۔

طوافِ سے قبل وزیرِ اعظم کیلئے بیت اللہ کے دروازے کھول دیئے گئے اور زیارتِ خاص کروائی گئی۔ pic.twitter.com/tPJcbTrGFD

— Prime Minister's Office, Pakistan (@PakPMO) May 9, 2021

Earlier, Senator Faisal Javed had disclosed Imran’s plans for the day. The senator was travelling with the premier to Makkah for performing the lesser pilgrimage. He shared the above information on social media.

Javed had also said that the prime minister would also hold meetings with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) secretary-general and the head of the Muslim World League.

“He will then address a Roshan Digital Account event in Jeddah,” tweeted Javed.

Imran earlier paid respects at Roza-e-Rasool (Peace Be Upon Him) in Madinah. He had announced his intent to do so a day earlier, hours after he landed in the holy city.

“Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI at Aqdam e Aaliya, while he’s in Madina to pay respect at Roza E Rasoolﷺ,” the PM’s Office had said in a statement issued on Twitter.

Earlier, Governor of Madinah, Amir Faisal bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz, had received the prime minister upon arrival, the PM’s Office had said.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Governor Sindh Imran Ismail, Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shah Farman, Senator Faisal Javed Khan, and Food Minister Punjab Aleem Khan accompanied the premier.

Special Assistant to PM on Political Communications Dr Shahbaz Gill and Special Representative of the Prime Minister for Religious Harmony Maulana Tahir Ashrafi are also part of the delegation.

COMMON RESOLVE AGAINST INTOLERANCE:

Prime Minister Imran, in a meeting with Secretary-General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr Yousef A Al-Othaimeen, in Makkah called upon the international community to show a common resolve against intolerance and incitement to violence on the basis of religion.

He urged the international community to work together for interfaith harmony and peaceful co-existence.

Highlighting the rise of Islamophobic incidents in different parts of the world, the prime minister stressed the importance of a concerted response from the OIC.

He emphasised that it has to be a collective endeavour of the Muslim leadership to make sure that the world recognised the special love and reverence that Muslims have for the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). He said that it is imperative not to allow anyone to create any linkage between Islam and terrorism.

It is pertinent to mention that following the Prime Minister’s letter addressed to Heads of State of Muslim countries, the OIC Council of Foreign Minister (CFM) in Niamey had adopted a unanimous resolution on observing 15 March as International Day to Combat Islamophobia.

PM Imran strongly condemned the Israeli attack against Palestinians in Qibla-e- Awaal, the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and reiterated his call on the international community to take steps to protect the Palestinians and their legitimate rights. He also called upon the OIC to play its rightful role in addressing the serious situation.

The secretary-general shared information with the prime minister on the OIC’s activities in support of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.

The OIC has steadfastly supported the Kashmir cause and in this context the Niamey CFM culminated with a comprehensive resolution on the issue.

The premier and secretary-general discussed Pakistan-OIC collaboration on a range of issues. PM Imran stated that Pakistan is looking forward to hosting the 48th Session of the Council of Foreign Minister.