Barrister Sultan wants OIC to seek resolution of Kashmir, Palestine issues

ISLAMABAD: Appreciating the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for its consistent support to Kashmir cause, President Azad Jammu and Kashmir Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry said that it was high time the OIC should redouble its efforts to seek an early settlement of the long-running Kashmir and Palestine issues.

Talking to the OIC's Special envoy for Jammu and Kashmir, Yousef Aldoubeay, the AJK president said the Muslim body (OIC) has always supported the Kashmiris' legitimate struggle for the right of self-determination. Expressing his concern over Israel's aggression on Gaza and other parts of the territory, he said that Israel had broken all records of barbarism and brutality. He said that widespread death and destruction in Gaza was a challenge to the world conscience.

The president said that it was quite unfortunate that the Indian government was replicating the Israeli model of occupation and colonisation of Gaza in Kashmir. He said that since August 05, 2019, India's fascist regime has intensified its settler colonialism agenda to eliminate the native population. "India has so far issued 4.2 million domicile certificates to outsiders with a malicious intent to change the region's demography," he said. Barrister Chaudhry said that the OIC should use its political and diplomatic influence to resolve the Kashmir and Palestine dispute peacefully.

He said that multiple United Nations General Assembly resolutions had described the continuing occupation of Palestine by Israel as illegal. Similarly, he said that the continuing occupation of Kashmir by India was also illegal under international law.

Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Yousef M Al-Dobeay said the OIC strongly supports the right of self-determination of the Kashmiri people and would continue to play its role in seeking a just settlement of the dispute.