ISLAMABAD: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s Special Envoy for Jammu and Kashmir Ambassador Yousef M. Al-Dobeay said on Tuesday that the protracted Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan remained at the top of the OIC agenda and the inter-governmental organization of Muslim countries strongly supported its peaceful resolution.

“The issue of Kashmir is very close to our heart and all [OIC] members are on the same page regarding its resolution. The resolution of both the Kashmir and Palestine issues stand at the top of the agenda of the OIC,” he said while addressing a joint press conference with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Islamabad.

The special envoy is part of a six-member delegation that arrived in Pakistan on Monday for a five-day visit to witness the destruction and suffering caused by the cease-fire violations of Indian troops across the Line of Control (LoC). So far, he has held meetings with Prime Minister Imran Khan, Foreign Minister Qureshi, the chairman of parliament’s Kashmir committee and several Kashmiri leaders.

“We are visiting Jammu and Kashmir and the LoC on Wednesday where we will witness the actual situation and interact with Kashmiri people to gain firsthand knowledge [about the situation]. We will submit a detailed report on the situation in Kashmir to the office of the OIC secretary general upon our return,” Al-Dobeay said, adding that Pakistan had gained diplomatic success on the Kashmir issue due to the “humbleness” it showed to the world by tackling “such a critical issue” so peacefully.

He said the OIC had always supported the resolution of the Kashmir dispute and established a dedicated contact group to deal with the issue in 1994.

“Pakistan is a very important and active member of the OIC. A formal session of the OIC was convened on Pakistan’s request after the removal of the special status of Occupied Kashmir by India on 5th August last year. The OIC will make every possible effort for the resolution of this issue which remains on top of the agenda during all of its important summits,” the special envoy said.

On Pakistan’s request to convene a special ministerial session on Jammu and Kashmir, Al Dobeay said only the member states could decide the matter.

“Every member state has the right to request a special session on a particular issue. The request is sent to all members who then decide through a majority vote whether to call the session or not,” he said.

Foreign Minister Qureshi said the people of Pakistan had pinned their hopes on the OIC as the organization had always raised its voice for the resolution of the Kashmir dispute.

“The situation of Occupied Kashmir has become critical with lockdown continuing since the last seven months. The special envoy was briefed in detail on the human rights situation in Occupied Kashmir, as well as discriminatory laws and communication blockade by the Indian occupation authorities,” he said.

“Pakistan has requested to convene a special ministerial session of the OIC on Jammu and Kashmir. I have talked about this with the Saudi foreign minister during my visit to the Kingdom earlier this year,” Qureshi continued.

Later, the OIC secretary general’s special envoy called on Prime Minister Khan where the Indian decision to revoke Article 370 was described as a breach of the United Nations and OIC resolutions.