The Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) which met in Cairo on the sidelines of the 12th Islamic Summit Conference reaffirmed its full support to Kashmir cause.
The meeting coincided with the Kashmir Solidarity Day, observed in Pakistan on February 5, on which the Pakistanis express their solidarity with the Kashmiris. The meeting was co-chaired by Foreign Minister (FM) Hina Rabbani Khar and OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu.
Addressing the meeting, Khar said that Pakistan seeks to resolve the Kashmir dispute on the basis of UN resolutions and aspirations of the Kashmiris. She said that Pakistan has entered into dialogue process with India and wants to have meaningful and result-oriented dialogue for the resolution of the longstanding disputes. She also underscored the need to stop human rights violations in Indian-held Kashmir and requested the OIC secretary general to compile a report on these violations. It was also attended by officials of Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Niger. Azad Jammu and Kashmir President Sardar Yaqoob Khan, All Parties Hurriyat Conference member Ghulam Muhammad Safi also attended the meeting. OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu reaffirmed OIC’s commitment and support to the Kashmiris for their struggle to self determination, as enshrined in the UN Security Council resolutions.
The secretary general said that soon a joint team of OIC with representation from the Islamic Development Bank, the 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. He also shared with the meeting OIC’s intention to call a meeting of Kashmiri representatives to look at making OIC’s role more effective. The representatives of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Niger reiterated their support for Kashmiris’ right to self-determination in accordance with the UN resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
The AJK president highlighted the human rights violations by Indian security forces in occupied Kashmir. The representatives of the Kashmiris gave an update on the latest situation in the Indian occupied Kashmir. They also presented a memorandum to the secretary general which contained proposals for both the OIC member states as well as 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. The group adopted a report and a declaration on Jammu and Kashmir to be presented to the OIC Summit. Later on, Hina Rabbani Khar met her Iranian counterpart Ali Akbar Salehi. Both the leaders discussed matters of mutual interests. Current situation of Syria and Afghanistan also came under discussion.
