OIC contact group holds virtual meeting on Kashmir
Srinagar, June 22 (KNS): The Contact Group of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Jammu and Kashmir held a virtual meeting today against the backdrop of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, a statement said.
The Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan, Niger, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey attended the meeting,
OIC Secretary General Dr. Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen, inaugurated the meeting and stressed the OIC’s commitment to finding a peaceful settlement for the Jammu and Kashmir issue as per the relevant resolutions of the Islamic Summit, the Council of Foreign Ministers, and the international legitimacy. “At the same time, I call on the international community to strengthen its efforts to assist the people of Kashmir to decisively practice their legitimate rights denied for decades,” said Al-Othaimeen according to a statement.
“The Contact Group reaffirmed the continued support for the people of Jammu and Kashmir and called on the United Nations Secretary-General to use his good offices to make India abide by the United Nations Security Council’s (UNSC) resolutions and engage in dialogue to calm the situation in the region,” statement said.
“The Contact Group called on India to halt security operations against the people of Jammu and Kashmir immediately, respect basic human rights, refrain from changing the demographic structure of the disputed territory, and settle the conflict under the relevant UNSC’s resolutions,” it added.
On the other hand, the Contact Group highly appreciated the efforts made by the OIC General Secretariat through its Special Envoy to Jammu and Kashmir who visited the region in March 2020, it said.
After the meeting, the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir issued a statement on the recent developments in Jammu and Kashmir region in which it welcomed the efforts made by some Member States to calm the situation between India and Pakistan, statement reads.
Meanwhile according to Hurriyat (M ) statement, their representative Syed Faiz Naqashbandi also attended the meeting virtually.
The statement added that the OIC contact group also called for the release of all Kashmiri leaders including APHC Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and other detained youth. (KNS)
