ISLAMABAD: The president of Pakistan-administrated Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Sardar Masood Khan, briefed the secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Yousef Al-Othaimeen, on the latest developments in the Indian part of the region during a meeting in Jeddah on Sunday.
Khan said that the status of Kashmir is one of the oldest issues on the UN agenda, which still remains unresolved. “Our brothers and sisters living in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir have spent more than 100 days under a crushing curfew and media blackout imposed upon them by Indian occupation forces,” he said, referring to the Indian blockade of the territory which began on Aug. 5.
Khan has also addressed a seminar and a photo exhibition titled “Kashmir: Blood, Cries and Tears,” at the OIC Secretariat in Jeddah.
According to a statement by Pakistan’s consulate in Jeddah, the AJK president said during the seminar that in this time of trial, Kashmiris look to their Muslim brothers and sisters for support: “The support extended to them by the OIC is not only instrumental in effectively projecting the Kashmiri cause, but also a source of hope and strength for the Kashmiri people.”
Present at the seminar was also the OIC secretary general’s representative on Kashmir and assistant secretary-general, Yousaf bin Muhammad Al-Zabeay, who highlighted the OIC’s obligation to promote and protect human rights of Kashmiris struggling for their right to self-determination in line with its UN and OIC resolutions.
“OIC has supported Kashmiris as the issue has long been in the agenda of all OIC summit and the Council of Foreign Ministers meetings. OIC also has formed a Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir since 1994 and since then it holds regular meetings to reiterate the support of the OIC Members and has shown concern on the situation in Kashmir,” Al-Zabeay said.
On Aug. 5, New Delhi repealed the special status accorded to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370. The move resulted in Islamabad downgrading its diplomatic and trade relations with India.
On Oct. 31, Pakistan denounced the “bifurcation” of Indian-administered Kashmir into two union territories (UT), which are directly under the control of the central government, with limited political powers granted to their local legislative assemblies.
