The Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) reaffirmed OIC’s commitment and support to the Kashmiri struggle for their right to self determination, as enshrined in the UN Security Council resolutions.
The Contact group met on the sidelines of the 12th Islamic Summit Conference in Cairo on Tuesday. The meeting coincided with the Kashmir Solidarity Day (5 February) on which the people of Pakistan express their solidarity with the Kashmiris.
The meeting was co-chaired by Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and OIC Secretary General, Mr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu. It was also attended by high ranking officials of the Contact Group member countries; Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Niger. The representative of Egypt being the host of the Summit also participated.
The True Representatives of the Kashmiri people, including Sardar Mohammad Yaqoob Khan, President Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Representative of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Ghulam Mohammad Safi, also attended the meeting.
The OIC Secretary General reaffirmed OIC’s commitment and support to the Kashmiri struggle for their right to self determination, as enshrined in the UN Security Council resolutions. He said that soon a joint team of OIC with representation from IDB, Islamic Solidarity Fund and ISESCO, led by Special Representative of OIC Secretary General on Kashmir Ambassador Alim, will visit Azad Jammu and Kashmir to assess their needs and find more practical and effective measures to help the people of Kashmir. The Secretary General also shared with the meeting OIC’s intention to call a meeting of Kashmiri representatives to look at making OIC’s role more effective.
In her address to the Contact Group, Foreign Minister Khar said that Pakistan seeks to resolve the Kashmir dispute on the basis of UN resolutions and aspirations of the people of Kashmir. She said that the Government of Pakistan has entered into dialogue process with India and wants to have meaningful and result-oriented dialogue for the resolution of this longstanding dispute. She also underscored the need to stop human rights’ violations in Indian occupied Kashmir and also requested the Secretary General to compile a report on these violations.
She appreciated the consistent support of the OIC member states in impressing upon the Government of India and the international community to fulfill its promise to the Kashmiri people as enshrined in the UN resolutions.
She referred to the recent violations of the LoC and hostile statements emanating from the Indian leadership. She said despite these provocations, Pakistan has chosen to exercise restraints to keep Pak- India peace process on track. She said that Pakistan was ready to work with United Nations Military Observer Group for India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to carry out an independent inquiry into the ceasefire violations and also welcome an OIC fact finding mission to investigate the violations along the LoC.
The True Representatives of the Kashmiri People gave an update on the latest situation in the Indian occupied Kashmir. The President of AJK, Sardar Mohammad Yaqoob Khan, spoke in particular about the human rights violations that continue unabated by the Indian security forces. The True Representatives also presented a Memorandum to the Secretary General which contained proposals for both the OIC member states as well as the OIC Secretary General to peacefully resolve the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolutions.
The Contact Group decided to invite Azerbaijan to join the Group and attend the future meetings of the Contact Group.