ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has urged the OIC to send a commission to Indian Occupied Kashmir to monitor the human rights situation so that real situation of occupied Kashmir could be brought forth to the international community.

“The OIC should send a commission to Indian Occupied Kashmir to monitor the human rights situation there”, President Mamnoon Hussain asked the OIC Secretary General’s special representative on Jammu & Kashmir, Abdullah Bin Abdurrahman Bin Bakr Alem who along with a delegation called on him yesterday.

The President underlined that Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) should make concerted efforts for resolving the issues confronting the Muslim Ummah including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir.

The President noted that in the Istanbul Summit of OIC collective and forceful voice was raised for resolution of Kashmir issue which further raised the expectations of Kashmiri people for its just solution.

The President stated that Kashmiri people have been victim of Indian barbarism and aggression for a long time and as a result a large number of people lost their lives and thousands of people are incarcerated.

The President added that OIC should send a commission to Indian Occupied Kashmir to monitor the human rights situation there so that real situation of occupied Kashmir could be brought forth to the international community.

President Mamnoon said that Jammu and Kashmir dispute is the root cause of tension in South Asia adding that peace would remain elusive till its resolution.

The President emphasized that the issue of Jammu & Kashmir should be resolved in accordance with the United Nations Security Council resolutions and aspirations of the people of Kashmir. The President underscored that OIC should make joint efforts for resolution of issues confronting the Islamic World including the issues of Palestine, Kashmir, Nagorno-Karabakh, Sudan, Yemen and Syria.

The President thanked the OIC Secretary General’s special representative for initiation of many development projects in Azad Kashmir by the Islamic countries.

Abdullah Bin Abdurrahman apprised the President that the Indian government was contacted a number of times for sending a commission to Indian Occupied Kashmir but they received no encouraging response. He stated that the issue of Kashmir should be resolved according to the aspirations of its people for peace and prosperity in South Asia. 

Abdullah Bin Abdurrahman Bin Bakr Alem further apprised that under the auspices of OIC work on many development projects in Azad Kashmir is underway including construction of schools and other projects.  The delegation comprised Executive Director of Islamic Solidarity Fund (ISF) Ibrahim Abdullah Al-Khuzayem and representatives from Islamic Development Bank.

Earlier, the delegation visited Azad Jammu and Kashmir and called on the President and Prime Minister of AJK. AJK leadership appreciated the continued support of OIC for the oppressed people of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The delegation supported the struggle of the Kashmiri people for the right to self determination and assured that OIC would continue to voice concerns over the blatant human rights violations in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK).

The delegation also expressed willingness of the OIC in sponsoring further development projects in AJK.

The representatives of All Parties Hurriyat Conference also met the OIC delegation and apprised them about the wide-spread indignation of the Kashmiri people towards Indian occupation in IOK.

They stated that the recent spate of violence against civilians by the Indian security forces in IOK must be checked by the OIC through a concerted effort.

They also briefed about the incident of 12 April 2016 in which a young Kashmiri girl was assaulted by the Indian army personnel in Handwara, IOK. The Indian forces opened fire on the protestors killing at least five and injuring dozens of others.

The APHC leaders also presented a Memorandum to the OIC’s Special Representative. The delegation also visited the Line of Control at Chakothi.  They were briefed about loss of civilian lives and property by repeated firings of the Indian forces.

A briefing on cross-LoC travel and trade was also given. The representatives of United Nations Military Observer Group for India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) also met the delegation at Muzaffarabad.