Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Thursday phoned OIC Secretary General Dr Yousef A Al-Othaimeen and discussed with him the incidents of Islamophobia and hate speech, besides human rights abuses in Kashmir. Discussing a wide range of issues related to the Muslim Ummah, the foreign minister highlighted that as a founding member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Pakistan attached the utmost importance to the body and the issues of concern to the Muslim world, a Foreign Office press release said. He noted the rise in incidents of Islamophobia and hate speech against the Muslims, including desecration of the Holy Quran and reprinting of caricatures of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), which had seriously hurt the sentiments of Muslims around the world. He also highlighted the importance of collective endeavours to combat the scourge of Islamophobia. Qureshi apprised the OIC secretary general of the worsening human rights and humanitarian situation in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir since India’s illegal and unilateral actions of August 5, 2019. He highlighted that India had promulgated new domicile rules and introduced amendments in landownership laws to alter the demographic structure of the occupied territory in a clear violation of the relevant United Nations and OIC resolutions, and international law. The foreign minister stated besides continued lockdown, military siege and communication blackout for over a year, the occupation forces had intensified repression of the Kashmiri population through extra-judicial killings in “fake encounters” and “collective punishment” for the Kashmiri communities and neighbourhoods. He appreciated the OIC’s consistent support on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. Both the foreign minister and the OIC secretary general agreed to remain in touch regarding matters related to the OIC and the Muslim Ummah.