Summary Sartaj Aziz appreciated the steadfast support of the OIC.
ISTANBUL (Web Desk) - The OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir met on the sidelines of 13th OIC Summit and reiterated OIC’s continued support to the people of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir in their just struggle for realization of their right to self-determination in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz led Pakistani delegation to the meeting which was chaired by the OIC Secretary General’s Special Representative on Jammu and Kashmir, Ambassador Abdullah Al-Alim. Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Turkey and Senior Representatives of Saudi Arabia and Niger attended the meeting. Turkish Foreign Minister specially attended the Contact Group meeting despite his engagement with the Council of Foreign Ministers as the Chair.
Opening the meeting, Secretary General’s Special Representative reiterated the principled position of OIC of continued support to the Kashmiri people in their legitimate struggle for the right to self-determination and underscored that the Contact Group had been constantly conveying the OIC‘s concerns to the international community regarding the flagrant human rights violations and abuse of the basic rights of the Kashmiris.
He regretted some attempts to equate the Kashmiri struggle with terrorism, and emphasized that the Kashmiris were solely striving to achieve their inalienable right in accordance with relevant UN resolutions. He welcomed the establishment of Standing Mechanism of OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) to monitor human rights situation in IOK which would present its report to the next session of OIC Council of Foreign Ministers. On its part, the Standing Mechanism will mantain close contact with the Kashmir civil society and NGOs working in the field to fulfill its mandated task. The Special Representative would also undertake a visit to Jammu and Kashmir shortly.
Sartaj Aziz, in his key-note address, reiterated Pakistan’s continued diplomatic, moral and political support to the people of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir in their just struggle for realization of their right to self-determination in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.
He highlighted the human rights violations in IOK and appreciated the steadfast support of the OIC and the Contact Group member states to the people of IOK.
