President Dr. Arif Alvi appreciated the Government of Iraq for its staunch support of the right to self-determination of the people of Kashmir, while talking to Head of the Political Party, Islamic Supreme Council in Iraq, Shaikh Dr. Hamam Hamoudi, who called on him at Aiwan-e-Sadr, Islamabad today. The President said that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute was on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the current situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) emanated from Indian denial of the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people through a free and fair plebiscite, as per UNSC Resolutions. He compared the Kashmir dispute to Palestine, which witnessed human rights violations at the hands of Israeli forces. He said that the valiant people of IOK had rendered unmatched sacrifices in their struggle against illegal Indian occupation, which had made the IOK one of the most militarized zones in the world. He highlighted that 2018 proved to be one of the deadliest years in the history of IOK, in which Indian occupation forces killed over 500 innocent Kashmiris. He emphasized that the Government of Pakistan condemned in the strongest terms the violation of fundamental human rights in IOK and would continue to extend political, diplomatic and moral support to the Kashmiri people in their just struggle. Shaikh Dr. Hamam Hamoudi said that Kashmir issue was a human tragedy and human voices could not be suppressed by force for long. Therefore, he added that amicable resolution of this dispute was imperative for peace and stability in the region. Shaikh Dr. Hamam Hamoudi has been vociferously advocating for the right to self-determination of the people of IOK. He travelled to AJK and Chikoti at the LoC and met Kashmiri refugees from IOK. This visit provided him a useful opportunity to wtiness the contrast between the human rights situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Indian Occupied Kashmir. The President said that Pakistan and Iraq enjoyed close fraternal relations based on shared faith, culture, and heritage, however, economic engagement between the two was not commensurate to the true potential. He also offered Pakistani services in the ongoing reconstruction process in Iraq. Furthermore, he highlighted the need for boosting tourism between the two brotherly countries and enhancing people-to-people contact. Student exchange could be a major impetus in this regard, he added. Agreeing with the President on the need for enhanced bilateral engagement, Shaikh Dr. Hamam Hamoudi also invited the President to visit Iraq.
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