The foreign minister on Friday commended the role played by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for raising the issue of atrocities in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) on the global stage.
While addressing the OIC's webinar on its golden jubilee in Islamabad, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the organisation's contact group on Kashmir had played a leading role in highlighting Indian atrocities.
The country's top diplomat reiterated that the issue of the besieged valley must only be resolved in light of the aspirations of its people and through United Nations’ resolutions for peace and stability in the region.
“OIC is a platform for Muslim countries through which we can work together by a common strategy in resolving any issue of Muslims in the world,” the FM said. “Hopes and aspirations of Muslim states are linked with this platform and all these countries desire for unity and increase our presence on the world as one voice.”
“The continued brutal atrocities on unarmed Kashmiris, after India's illegal and unilateral action, have turned it into a great human tragedy,” added Qureshi.
“Fifty years ago today, 25 Muslim countries had pledged to work together to formulate an action plan to protect their common interests and achieve goals in response to a tragic attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque,” he said.
The foreign minister added that though OIC, countries are finding ways to promote collaboration in various fields including science and technology, economy and trade, education, youth affairs and women's issues.
Qureshi further said that Pakistan, as a founding member, had always played a key role in the improvement and promotion of this body.
“Pakistan has hosted two OIC Summits and four Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) Conferences and Islamabad is also ready to host the 48th Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting,” he said.
Expressing solidarity with Palestinian brethren and cause, FM Qureshi said that Pakistan is in favour of a two-state solution for the Palestinian issue in accordance with UN and OIC resolutions.
“Muslims of Palestine are facing a painful situation and an independent Palestinian state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital is the only solution of this issue,” he asserted.
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