EDITORIAL: Silence of OIC!
By the Editor

PAKISTAN—a significant affiliate of the Organization of Islamic Conference [OIC]—is now-a-days passing through a most critical chapter of its existence—since its birth.

Earthquake of October-8 has caused widespread devastation in some parts of the NWFP and Azad Kashmir and the country has pressed into service all its resources to meet the test.

A sad reality that an organization that should have been in the forefront of rescue and relief efforts—overtly seems to be least upset over the milieu.

Though, a few Islamic countries, which happen to be the member countries of OIC are rendering valuable assistance in overcoming the consequences of this natural disaster of greatest magnitude, yet a mum by the Organization itself is—of-course paradoxical.

Take for example the contribution of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. On the instructions of King Abdullah, the brotherly country has established an air-bridge between Riyadh and Islamabad with ten flights loaded with relief goods reaching Pakistan everyday.

Not only that it sent a big and modern field hospital that has the capacity to treat five thousand patients in two weeks, the Kingdom has also announced financial assistance for relief activities in the quake-hit areas.

Similarly, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Libya, Egypt and many more Muslim States (apart from a number of non-Muslim countries in the East and West—with America atop) are sending medical missions, relief goods and committing cash for the purpose.

However, the OIC as an institution has done almost nothing in this hour of trial and tribulation of a member State. This should and is a source of concern to the Islamic world in general and people of Pakistan in particular.

It is because other organizations like the United Nations and European Union are extending cooperation and assistance in different ways and launching appeals for aid. OIC is the only representative body of the Muslim world and it should have inbuilt mechanism to react in a proactive manner on such occasions.

As majority of the Muslim countries fall in the categories of ‘Third World’ or ‘poor States’ the OIC should have a disaster management organ with necessary human and material resources at its disposal to carry out relief activities whenever a member State becomes victim of natural or other calamity.

Silence of the OIC is raising many questions about the role and justification of the organisation. As we pragmatically think, it was high time that at least its Secretary-General should have launched an appeal for fund-raising or initiated process for convening an emergency ministerial meeting to draw up
a collective response.

If not from any-one else, the OIC should have taken into account the magnitude of angst and anguish, beamed over the catastrophe along with instant lofty scale of help and assistance—in the shape of men and the requisite material—which has been and is being extended by the nations, which are phrased as non-Muslims.

Yet, without any shadow of doubt the love and adore for humanity by such nations go along the philosophies of Islam—in a matchless way. Sheer a claim for a specific faith or belief is not enough. One has to go by practice—as well, in the same style as is being manifested by all others—may be they dwell in any direction of the Orb.

The real message of Islam is to help humankind—explicitly those who are linked in the bond of the sanctified religion of Islam—and more so, even irrespective of one’s faith, colour, cast, creed or credo.

Are we going by the upright, virtuous and sacrosanct teachings of Islam? This is piece for serious thought for the OIC—which is composed of over 50 countries of the world—with a populous of much over a billion—in digit.

We feel optimistic that even now, the OIC shall rise to the occasion to meet the enormous challenges—the biggest limb of it [Pakistan] is faced with in the wake of the strongest-ever earthquake, the historians have never seen—at least over a century.

At the same time, we feel gratified for kind, caring and considerate nations like Saudi Arabia and of-course, those in the East and West—with Japan, China, UK—and obviously USA being on the top of the list for their open-handed help and assistance.

This has not only saved human lives in thousands, which were laying beneath the loads of rubbles—but are also all set to make sure that the affected people in the NWFP, Azad Kashmir and elsewhere get rehabilitated with succour and shelter as quickly as possible—lest the advent of piercing chill of winter adds perils with gloom and glum in their lives—as the advent of the season is not far-off.● 

 -  Mumtaz Hamid Rao
www.MumtazRao.net