By NNN-APP
United Nations : A ministerial panel of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Wednesday reaffirmed its support to the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination, and called on India and Pakistan to “expeditiously” resolve the Kashmir dispute.
The call was issued by the OIC Contact Group, which met on the sidelines of the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly to review the latest development relating to the decades-old dispute over the Himalayan state.
Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the OIC secretary-general, presided.
Attending the meeting were Turkish foreign minister Ali Babacan, Saudi deputy foreign minister Turki al-Kabeer al-Saud and Niger’s UN ambassador Ousmane Moutari, who read out a message of support from his foreign minister.
Pakistan was represented by foredign secretary Riaz Mohammed Khan, who rushed to UN Headquarters in New York straight from Kennedy International Airport after his arrival from Islamabad.
Representatives of the Kashmiri people, from both Azad Kashmir and the Indian-Occupied Kashmir, also participated in the meeting.
A report adopted by the group expressed solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir and called for the protection of their fundamental human rights.
Recalling previous OIC and relevant UN resolutions, the group urged India and Pakistan to move the peace process forward and “to expeditiously resolve all outstanding issues, including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir.”
It appealed to India to reciprocate the “commendable flexibility” being shown by Pakistan.
The meeting voiced its concern at the “continuing systematic human rights violations in India-occupied Kashmir and urged India to cease such violations.” It also asked India to allow an OIC fact-finding mission in Indian-occupied Kashmir “as soon as possible.”
Representatives of the Kashmiri people, from both Azad Kashmir and the Indian-Occupied Kashmir, also participated in the meeting.
In his opening remarks, OIC Secretary General Ihsanoglu reiterated OIC’s continued support to the Kashmiri people in their struggle to achieve their right to self-determination.
Addressing the meeting, Azad Kashmir president, Raja Zulqarnain, appreciated the efforts of the OIC and its member states in supporting the Kashmiris’ struggle.
He strongly supported the various initiatives taken by Pakistan and urged India to positively respond as well as to end its human rights violations in Indian Occupied Kashmir.
The representatives of the Kashmiri people presented a memorandum to the Contact Group which contained proposals for both the OIC member states as well as the OIC Secretary General in order to peacefully resolve the Kashmir dispute.