The OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir met on the
sidelines of the UN General Assembly, in New York. Chaired by the Secretary
General of the OIC, Dr.. Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen, the meeting was
attended by Mr. Recep Akdag, the Deputy Prime Minster of Turkey, Khawaja Asif
Ahmad Ali, Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Elmar Mammadyarov, the Foreign
Minister of Azerbaijan, Mr. Abdallah al – Mouallimi, the Permanent
Representative of Saudi Arabia and Ambassador Boubacau Moussa Rilla, Director
General of International Organizations, Niger. All members of the Contact Group
expressed solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir and urged the UN
Security Council to ensure the early implementation of its resolutions. Mr.
Masood Khan, President Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Mr. Ishtiaq Hameed were the
True Representatives of the Kashmiri people in the Contact Group Meeting.
In his statement, the Foreign Minister of Pakistan said that
since 1989 due to the oppression unleashed by the Indian Occupation forces,
more than 95,000 Kashmiris had embraced Shahadat. Around 10,000 women had been
raped in IOK by the Indian forces. Many of them had been ganged raped. During
custody, worst forms of torture were being inflicted. There was absolute
lawlessness in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. No human rights organizations
were being allowed access to IOK, as India wanted to hide its shameless acts of
sheer barbarism against the oppressed Kashmiris.
Expressing deep concern over the grave situation in the
Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the OIC Secretary General called for an
immediate cessation of Indian oppression and atrocities and urged the
government of India for peaceful settlement of the dispute, in accordance with
the wishes of the Kashmiri people and the UNSC resolutions. He said that though
the Indian occupation forces could physically blind the Kashmiri people by
their pellet guns, they could not block their vision for the realization of
their right to self-determination.
The Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey expressed grave concern
at the deteriorating situation in the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He
emphasized the urgency of resolving the Jammu and Kashmir dispute which was of
critical importance, so as to bring lasting regional peace and ensuring
economic and social development in South Asia.?
The Foreign Minister reiterated that Pakistan remained
committed to finding a just and peaceful solution to the Jammu and Kashmir
dispute in accordance with the UNSC Resolutions, which is reflective of the
aspirations of the Kashmiri people. Pakistan would continue to extend its
steadfast political, moral and diplomatic support to Kashmiris in their
indigenous struggle for realization of fundamental rights.
The Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan stated that the UN
Security Council resolutions needed to be implemented without any further
delay. The Security Council was the custodian of international peace and
security and must deliver on its promises to the Kashmiri people and ensure
early resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
Mr. Masood Khan, the President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir also
gave a detailed overview of the massive violations of human rights and
international humanitarian law being carried out by the Indian occupation
forces in IOK. The True Representatives presented a Memorandum to the OIC
Secretary General and briefed the meeting about the continued Indian
brutalities in IOK in detail.
The members of the OIC Contact Group expressed their complete
solidarity with the valiant struggle of the Kashmiri people. They reaffirmed
their resolve to remain the voice of the Kashmiris' at the international stage.
The conclusions of the meeting were adopted and would be submitted for
appropriate action of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OIC.
