The anthem ‘Hum Mustafavi Hain’ sung by Pakistani singer Ali Zafar has been launched by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting | Image Credit: YouTube
Islamabad: Pakistan has released the official anthem of the 48th session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers to be held in Islamabad on March 22-23.
“The song is a tribute to Pakistan’s strong commitment and affiliation with OIC and the Muslim Ummah,” Pakistan foreign office said. The video begins with visuals of Pakistan’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the iconic Badshahi Mosque and later shows Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan meeting the key leaders of the Muslim world including the leadership of UAE and Saudi Arabia.
New anthem, same theme
The anthem ‘Hum Mustafavi Hain’ sung by Pakistani singer Ali Zafar has been launched by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The anthem, originally sung by Mehdi Zaheer and written by Jamiluddin Aali on the occasion of the 2nd Islamic Summit Conference in Lahore in 1974, had touched the hearts of Muslims all over the world and was declared the official anthem of the OIC.
The anthem brings back old memories and emotions, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said at the launch ceremony at the ministry of foreign affairs. “It has the same old theme, lyrics and composition,” he said.
Information Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain who also joined the ceremony said that each stanza of the song is inspired from Quran. The theme of the anthem is to “hold firmly to the rope of Allah and do not be divided,” he said quoting a verse from chapter Al Imran of the Holy Quran.
Partnering for unity and development
Pakistan’s foreign minister said it was “an honour for Pakistan” to host the OIC foreign ministers’ conference for the second time after the OIC extraordinary session on Afghanistan in December 2021. “This session is special for us as it coincides with the 75th Pakistan Day. We have invited all the visiting guests to attend the national parade of Pakistan,” he said.
Pakistan will seek to build bridges of cooperation and partnerships amongst OIC member states and beyond, focusing on the theme of the 48th session of OIC-CFM which is ‘Partnering for Unity, Justice and Development.’ Qureshi said that the summit would help nations chart out a way forward to deal with multiple challenges including climate change and the economic difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The OIC session is likely to adopt over one hundred resolutions. Islamophobia would be one of the topics of discussion as the member states would gather after United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on March 15 unanimously adopted a “landmark resolution” introduced by Pakistan on behalf of OIC countries.
Nearly 50 nations to attend summit
Representatives of nearly 50 Islamic countries have so far confirmed their participation in the 48th OIC foreign minister’s conference that coincides with the Pakistan Day parade held on March 23. The OIC foreign ministers have been invited as “guests of honour” at the parade. Pakistani prime minister will deliver a keynote address at the inaugural session.
Pakistan has previously hosted four sessions of the OIC-CFM. The OIC is the second-largest intergovernmental organization in the world after the UN with 57 Muslim member states spread across four continents.
With inputs from the Gulf News
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)