Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Jammu and Kashmir, Ambassador Yousef M. Al Dobeay on Tuesday reaffirmed the organization’s continuing support to Pakistan over the issue of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K).
Addressing a presser along with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, he said the OIC and its secretary general had been making concerted efforts to get the issue resolved peacefully through dialogue.
Lauding Pakistan as a strong and active supporter of OIC charter and agenda, he said the Kashmir issue had always been on the top agenda of the organization and supported by all the member states.
He said the OIC had adopted a number of resolutions over the Kashmir issue and continuously raising the issue besides Palestine, as both the issues had been of immense significance for the whole Ummah.
Ambassador Yousef said the OIC had been strongly demanding the implementation of UN Security Resolutions and the resolutions passed by it, envisaging Kashmiris’ right to self-determination.
He also shared OIC’s serious concerns over Indian government’s unilateral steps of August 5 last year by revoking the special status of Kashmir through controversial legislation.
The OIC immediately responded to Pakistan’s request and expressed its solidarity with Pakistan over the issue, he maintained.
He said all the member countries extended support over the Kashmir issue and stood in solidarity with Pakistan. The OIC was making full efforts to resolve it peacefully through dialogue.
Pakistan attached huge importance to OIC and established a permanent office at the OIC headquarters, he added.
Apprising about the purpose of his visit, the special envoy said he would visit Azad Jammu and Kashmir and the areas near the Line of Control and would submit his report to the secretary general OIC.
The envoy said since August 5, 2019, the OIC had remained actively seized of the deteriorating situation in Kashmir.
The OIC and its human rights body, Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC), had issued several statements condemning India’s actions and reiterating their principled position on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. The OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir had met twice since 5 August, he added.
He termed his interaction with the foreign minister and other officials very successful.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in his remarks, said the visiting envoy was briefed over the serious situation in the IOJ&K and the chaos and turmoil in India after enactment of controversial citizenship legislation.
The Indian citizen amendment act and national registration act were based upon discrimination which had erupted protests across India, he said, adding besides, Muslims other minorities also considered the laws as discriminatory, as people from different sections of society had been raising their voices against the Indian government.
Qureshi said in Delhi, so far 46 deaths had been reported while scores of others had been injured. Muslim properties were ravaged and mosques were set ablaze.
These acts pained the Muslims all over the globe, he said and expressed the hope that the OIC whose charter was based upon defending the Ummah, would take up this issue very strongly.
About Kashmir issue, the foreign minister said there was urgent need to implement the United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Appreciating the role of OIC over Kashmir issue, he said that it always responded positively.
Pakistan and its people had expectations from the OIC as being a founding member and attached importance to the OIC to get the Kashmir issue resolved, he added.
He also suggested holding of extraordinary session foreign ministers of the OIC member states over the issue.
Qureshi further said the special envoy would brief the OIC secretary general over the sensitiveness of the issue.
The UN secretary general during his recent visit to Pakistan had clearly expressed the world body’s stance over the Kashmir issue, he added.
The OIC Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Jammu and Kashmir, Ambassador Yousef M. Al Dobeay is leading a six-member delegation during his visit to Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.