The Saudi-led Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) met on Sunday in Jeddah on the Afghanistan situation which some have dubbed it “a fiasco”. Others have hailed the U.S.-led West’s exit from the “graveyard of empires” a good step –it was initiated by Donald Trump and delivered by President Joe Biden ahead of schedule –amid chaos and some order.
“The collapse of U.S. will to continue in Afghanistan” made it happen…the United States wants this outcome”, an analyst on FoxNews’ Tucker Carlson show says:
Report says the emergency meeting of the Permanent Representatives of OIC on the situation in Afghanistan –after Taliban takeover was held in Jeddah today (Sunday). “The ruling class in Kabul should respect human rights, laws, lives and security,” said OIC Secretary General Yousuf Al-Uthaymeen.
“We expect broad-based dialogues and reconciliation from the Afghan administration, said Dr. Zl-Uthaymeen.
Speaking to Sky News, British Defense Chief of Staff Gen. Sir Nick Carter said “We are collaborating with the Taliban and that is a straightforward relationship”. Calling them ‘country boys’, he urged giving Taliban the space to work things out.
“They are keeping the streets of Kabul very save –and indeed very calm”:
A Gulf analyst says “the meeting comes at a time when the world is concerned about Afghanistan and the plight of its people. According to him, “the past history of the Taliban and fear that they will revert to killings is on the minds of everyone. It’s important that an OIC task force be set up to check on the ground situation there and assist in any manner possible. The Muslim countries should not be a part of the Great Game but play the role of genuine mediators”.
“Since the future is unknowable, we can conjecture what the OIC might do. Just going by past record of OIC response to events in Afghanistan, it seems possible that a broad, general consensus might evolve urging all Afghan factions to work peacefully and develop the country as a peaceful and inclusive polity. I cannot imagine, given OIC’s internal divisions, that a meaningful or effective plan of action will be presented. Some financial, humanitarian, socio-economic and diplomatic initiatives are possible – but even among GCC monarchies, there are divisions between Qatar and others. Saudi leadership is bent upon establishing a pro-US framework for generating a “Ummah-wide” approach to Taliban-led Afghanistan, but this is a challenging goal now. I expect a bland, platitudinous and in the end, a mostly diplomatic communique which will promise funds but deliver little to change this long-tortured land“. (Asia-Pacific based analyst specializing in US-China relations and So. Asia affairs).
“OIC as usual is lagging behind others. For optics, it will be a good occasion. Let’s hope they could come up with some viable formula of power-sharing in Afghanistan“. (A Pakistani envoy based in a European capital).
Foreign affairs observer Amb. G. R. Baloch says, “We hope OIC takes a unified stance regarding recognition of the new Taliban Government in Afghanistan. Also, OIC should collectively support rebuilding of Afghanistan as a progressive Democratic Islamic State“.
According to an Islamabad-based security analyst, “OIC will deliver the American message to the Taliban: “Respect the boundaries of global liberal order ( instead of implementing Shariah based order) and only then the (western) world will reciprocate positively towards them”.
A senior Pakistani defense analyst when asked to comment, shared the video clip above and this: “Idols were removed from the Arabian peninsula by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his companions 1400 years ago. Thanks to the current generation of rulers in the Arab world for the enlightenment we are seeing that we had missed since then“.
“His candid reaction is understandable, though unrelated to OIC meet on the Afghanistan situation”, a Middle East observer said.
Irshad Salim, Islamabad
