Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on Thursday said that the oppressed people of Indian Occupied Jammu Kashmir look towards the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Muslim countries for their continued support.

He was speaking at the emergency session of the OIC at Makkah Al-Mukarramah as the leader of Pakistan’s delegation, said a Foreign Office press release issued here. Sartaj highlighted the brutalities in Indian Occupied Jammu Kashmir (IOK) against innocent and defenseless civilians, who were peacefully protesting and struggling for the realisation of their right to self-determination.

The Turkish delegation, in its statement, also drew attention to the growing tensions in South Asia due to the Kashmir dispute and called upon the secretary general to take urgent steps in pursuance of the Resolution of the Council of foreign ministers, at Tashkent on October 18, 2016, on the issue of Kashmir and send a fact finding mission to IOK.

The delegation called upon India to allow that mission to visit IOK to verify the human rights violations. Pakistan also joined other member countries in condemning the missile attack by the Houthi militia aimed at the Holy city of Makkah. He also reiterated full support to the defence of Haramain Al-Sharifain and commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The OIC also approved the appointment of Dr Yusuf Ahmad Al-Othaimeen as its new secretary general. He replaces Iyad Ameen Madani who resigned on October 31, 2016 for health reasons. Dr Othaimeen was Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Social Affairs from 2007 to 2015.