ISLAMABAD, April 19: Pakistan will try to cobble a joint Muslim response to the alarming situation in Palestine and war-torn Iraq at the extraordinary session of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) in Kuala Lumpur later this week, officials here said.

Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri will be leaving here on Tuesday to lead Pakistan's delegation at the one-day extraordinary session convened by the current OIC chairman, Malaysia, on Thursday.

Initially the extraordinary session was slated for May 4 but in view of the recent disturbing developments in Iraq and the Middle East it was summoned earlier. Pakistan has been advocating that the 57-nation pan-Islamic body be made dynamic and more responsive to developments and challenges in the Muslim World.

Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan said on Monday that during the upcoming extraordinary session, foreign ministers of Islamic countries would look at ways and means to put the Middle East roadmap for peace back on track.

Pakistan on Sunday condemned the killing of the new Hamas leader Abdel Aziz al Rantissi by Israel on Saturday and called it a blatant violation of international law.

"Pakistan is concerned over the recent developments in the Middle East. Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri, along with his counterparts, would try to evolve a response from the Islamic world," spokesman Masood Khan stated.

He said foreign ministers would also focus on Iraq situation and make recommendations for restoring peace and stability in the country as well as transfer of governance to the Iraqi people. The handover of sovereignty to Iraq is due on June 30.

Sources said that Pakistan like other Muslim countries would emphasise that the UN play "a much greater role" in Iraq. Iraqis, Palestinians, representatives of Al-Quds Committee, Committee on Palestine, the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (ICFM) troika (Sudan, Turkey and Iran), the OIC summit troika (Qatar, Malaysia and Senegal), and Saudi Arabia will also attend the session, foreign ministry officials told Dawn.

At the end of the session a joint statement, declaration or a communique with a strategy to deal with the Iraq issue and the Palestine question, was expected, diplomatic sources said.

Significantly, Pakistan assumes the UN Security Council's presidency in May when a resolution on a UN peacekeeping force for Iraq is likely to be presented. Washington wants this force to be in place before the scheduled transfer of power in Iraq.

Meanwhile, Washington has renewed its request for sending Pakistan troops to Iraq, this time on the pretext of protecting the UN mission that the US wants to return to the war-ravaged country ahead of the June 30 deadline.

Pakistan has so far made no commitment but has stated it will give due consideration to the request. However, it has made it clear that it will stick to its stated position of sending troops only under the UN cover. Among the other South Asian countries that the US has approached for troop contribution in Iraq are Bangladesh and India.