Senate Standing Committee addresses Kashmir issue with OIC delegation

ISLAMABAD, Oct 11 (SABAH): The Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, led by Senator Farooq Hamid Naek, convened a vital meeting with Ambassador Yousef Mohammad S. Aldobeay, Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Special Envoy of the OIC Secretary General for Jammu and Kashmir, and his delegation at the Parliament House on Wednesday.

The objective of the meeting was to effectively present the Kashmir cause and shed light on the escalating human rights violations in Occupied Kashmir.

The committee in its separate meeting also unanimously passed three resolutions: one addressing the Kashmir Issue, another condemning India’s refusal to grant visas to Pakistanis, especially sports enthusiasts and media persons aiming to attend the ongoing Cricket World Cup hosted by India, and a third resolution denouncing the Israeli genocide of Palestinians.

During the meeting with the OIC delegation, Senator Farooq Naek, Chair of the Committee, commended the consistent support of the OIC for the Kashmir cause and recognized Al-Dobeay’s persistent efforts in advocating for the Kashmiri people on international platforms. He emphasized that India’s unlawful actions on 5th August 2019 have exacerbated the draconian restrictions on the fundamental freedoms of the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

In anticipation of the 15th Islamic Summit, the committee urged the OIC to intensify its diplomatic endeavors to facilitate a lasting resolution to the Jammu & Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. The committee stressed the imperative of implementing the UNSC resolution on Kashmir and urged the OIC to play an active role.

Senator Farooq Naek underscored that a durable peace in South Asia hinges on resolving the Kashmir issue. The Committee called upon the international community to hold India accountable for its actions, stressing that India must reverse its unilateral decision of 5th August that has altered the demographic landscape of Kashmir.

Mr. Al-Dobeay highlighted the strong ties between Pakistan and the OIC, emphasizing that the Kashmir issue is not limited to Pakistan alone but concerns all 57 OIC member countries. He noted that the Kashmir issue and the Plan of Action have consistently remained on the OIC agenda, with 1.5 million people under the OIC umbrella regularly discussing the Kashmir issue. He called for leveraging effective resources to enhance global awareness of the Kashmir issue, considering it a significant global concern necessitating immediate resolution.

Referring to the report of the Contact Level Group, Mr. Al-Dobeay outlined the steps needed to advance the Kashmir and Palestine issues. He emphasized that the Foreign Ministers of member countries should collaborate on finding a resolution and subsequently devise plans for its implementation.

Senator Farooq Naek, Chair of the committee, urged the OIC to implore the United Nations to implement its resolution on Kashmir and conduct a plebiscite in alignment with the wishes of the Kashmiris, as supported by Jawahar Lal Nehru. He underscored that the credibility of the UN lies in the implementation of its resolution on Kashmir.

The senators, including Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Palwasha Muhammad Zai Khan, Danesh Kumar, Sarfaraz Bugti and Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur, shared their insights on the Palestine and Kashmir issues, advocating for immediate solutions. Senator Mushahid emphasized that the Palestine and Kashmir issues cannot be ignored, stressing India’s alarming issuance of 2 million domiciles to non-residents. He highlighted Pakistan’s steadfast position on the Kashmir and Palestine issues, urging the OIC to advocate for it effectively.

Ambassador Yousef Mohammad S. Aldobeay responded to the senators, highlighting that issues cannot be resolved through weapons and wars, but through dialogue.