Saudi FM likely to visit Pakistan this week

ISLAMABAD: Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir is expected to visit Pakistan most likely within this week to discuss the deteriorating situation in South Asia after annexation of Held Kashmir by the Indian government.

Adel Al-Jubeir held a meeting with Pakistan Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Raja Ali Ejaz in Riyadh on September 1 to discuss the Kashmir situation besides other issues. He also discussed Prime Minister Imran Khan’s likely visit to Saudi Arabia after his UN visit during this month.

Also read: Indian troops beat Kashmiri youths 'black and blue'

This will be the first highest level visit by a brotherly Muslim country after India’s unilateral action of Aug 5 in contravention of the UN resolutions.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has spoken thrice with Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Salman since India’s annexation of held Kashmir. The visit of Saudi minister will play an important role in a strong and joint front for implementation of UN resolutions for self-determination of Kashmiri people.

Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki in a newspaper interview on September 1 stated that Saudi Arabia supports settlement of Kashmir dispute as per international resolutions and was concerned at end of special status of Kashmir by Indian government.

Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohammad and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan were first leaders from Muslim world to take a firm position against Indian decision to annex Kashmir on Aug 5th. Both leaders categorically called for settlement of Kashmir dispute as per UN Security Council Resolutions. OIC, the representative organization of 57 Muslim nations took a categoric position on Aug 31st calling for settlement of Kashmir Dispute as per UN Resolutions.

Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei has also expressed concern over Muslims’ situation in Kashmir. Ayatollah Khamenei said that we expect the Indian government to adopt a just policy towards the noble people of Kashmir and prevent the oppression & bullying of Muslims in this region.

UAE in their response after Aug 5th pressed for restraint and dialogue between India and Pakistan. A couple of days back Prime Minister of Pakistan talked to UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the Kashmir issue.

Prime Minister Imran Khan in his Aug 26th address to nation on Kashmir had highlighted that the Christian majority East Timor was given independence after a UN plebiscite. He added that Muslim majority Kashmir expects same from UN to be given opportunity to decide their destiny in light of UN Resolutions. UN Secretary General last week congratulated Timor- Leste on 20 years of Independence after UN Referendum. East Timor a country of 1.2 Million and 97pct Roman Catholic won independence from Indonesia after a UN mandated plebiscite in 1999.

In contrast Muslim majority Kashmiris still await implementation of UN Security Resolutions for their right of self-determination after lapse of over 70 years. Almost 96% of 8 million population of Kashmir Valley is Muslim. Kashmiri population is subjected to worst suppression of their right of life, liberty , trade , freedom of expression in violation of different Articles of UN Declaration of Human Rights. Two senior supreme court lawyers in India wrote an article last week criticizing the suppression of Kashmiri people right of life and liberty against a Supreme court decision of 2017 which debars violation of these rights even during an emergency. Over 14 petitions are now pending trial in Indian Supreme court against end of Special Status of Kashmir by Indian government on Aug 5th.

As per different estimates , around 100,000 Kashmiris have embraced martyrdom in quest for independence since this latest indigenous uprising since 1989. A huge number have suffered critical injuries, scores of women raped and there has been heavy damage to Kashmiris business and property since 1989.

As per a report in international media, Kashmiri economy suffered a loss of over USD 2 billion after prolonged curfew in 2016 and have lost billions of dollars in financial losses since 1989. Economic subjugation besides murder and rape in one of most militarized places on earth is a tool used by Indian state to break the will of Kashmiris. India leads the world in internet shutdowns and uses it as a tool to suppress dissent. Since 2014, India has shut down internet services over 340 times and half of them were done in Kashmir. This year alone, internet services have been shut down nearly 60 times in Kashmir and are shut since Aug 5th

With explicit and strong position taken by China right from outset, growing concern and strong reaction from OIC and Muslim countries, strong reaction by European Union and very extensive and strong coverage by International media, India is increasingly isolated and defenseless for its Aug 5th annexation of Kashmir.

Already , a UN Security Council Consultation Meeting has been held on Indian unilateral decision. . There has also been expression of concern over human right violations , communication blockade and need for urgent settlement of Kashmir dispute by USA, UK, Russia, Germany, France, Sweden, Norway and other leading western countries. Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi toured China immediately after Indian act. Mr. Qureshi has conversed with foreign ministers of over 30 countries and with heads of different International organizations to apprise them of the worsening humanitarian crisis in Kashmir and the violation of UN Resolutions on Kashmiri people right of self-determination. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi is likely to address the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Sept 9th to press for implementation of Council reports in 2018 and 2019 on the violations in Kashmir and the present humanitarian crisis in Kashmir.

With local and international mobilization, the stage is set for a very strong position by Pakistan in UN General Assembly this month which will be addressed by Prime Minister of Pakistan on September 27th.