OIC secretary general assures to submit assessment report on Kashmir to member states n Discusses Kashmir issue with AJK President, PM n Visits Line of Control and refugee camps.

MUZAFFARABAD     -    Reiterating support on Secre- tary General of the Organiza- tion of Islamic Countries (OIC)  Hissein Brahim Taha has said  that Kashmir was on top pri- ority of the OIC agenda and he  will submit a comprehensive  assessment report on the hu- man rights situation in Kash- mir to member countries.  He made these remarks  during a joint presser with Azad Jammu and Kashmir  (AJK) President here on Sun- day at Presidency after his  meeting with the AJK Presi- dent and Prime Minister and a  brief visit to the Line of Con- trol (LOC) and refugee camps.  He said he was visiting AJK under the resolutions passed by  the OIC contact group on Kash- mir to assess the situation and  will submit a comprehensive report to the group and Foreign  Minister’s Council of the mem- ber countries and would seek  permission from India to visit the other side of the LOC. He said the second purpose  of his visit was to express sol- idarity with the people of  Kashmir who had been suffer- ing for long time and assured  them that OIC being a Muslim  community was making con- stant efforts to find a solution  to their issue in consultation with the world community. He said during his day-long  visit to AJK, he met with peo- ple affected by Indian firing  across LOC and refugees mi- grated from the Indian side of  Kashmir due to atrocities to  assess their problems and suf- ferings as to made part of his  assessment report.  Replying to a question, His- sein Brahim Taha said being  Secretary-General of the Or- ganisation, his duty was to  take this issue with all the stakeholders, and partners and to find out a solution of this long-standing issue. “My duty is only to inform  the Council of Foreign Minis- ters (CFMs) about the situation  and thereafter they would find or suggest further line of action but most important is to find  out a solution of this long-stand- ing issue and for this purpose, I  would also contact with India as well,” Taha replied to questions during the presser. He expressed gratitude to Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Barrister Sultan  Mehmood Chaudhry for host- ing his visit. Earlier, while wel- coming the secretary general,  AJK President Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhary said the visit of the OIC chief was a  source of encouragement for  the people of Jammu and Kash- mir and called it “a big day” for  Kashmiri people. Sultan said on  the occasion of international hu- man rights day, he informed the  OIC chief about the grass human  rights violations in Indian Illegal- ly Occupied Jammu and Kashmir  (IIOJK) adding that the secretary general had always supported the right to self-determination to the  people of Kashmir. Later, the OIC Secretary-General laid a wreath  here at the Jammu and Kash- mir Monument, built in memo- ry of Kashmiri martyrs and their  struggle. He paid his respects and offered Fateha for the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the Kashmir cause. Taking place at the invitation of Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, this is his  first country visit since assum- ing office in November 2021.  The OIC has always raised voice against the Indian atrocities in IIOJK and supported the right to self-determination of Kashmiris as per UN resolutions. In the 48th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) held in Islamabad in March this year,  the Muslim world body had ad- opted a joint action plan on  Kashmir issue.