OIC wants peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute: secretary general

Published April 10, 2017
Sartaj Aziz shakes hands with OIC Secretary-General Yousef Bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen at the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad. —AFP
Sartaj Aziz shakes hands with OIC Secretary-General Yousef Bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen at the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad. —AFP

The Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) is in agreement with Pakistan over peaceful resolution of the decades-old Kashmir dispute, the secretary-general of the Muslim bloc Dr Yusuf Ahmad Al-Othaimeen said Monday.

Addressing a joint press conference alongside Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Dr Al-Othaimeen said the Kashmir issue was at the top of OIC's agenda.

He said it was unfortunate that India had denied a request from the OIC's Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission to visit India-held Kashmir in order to assess the situation there, Radio Pakistan reported.

"But we should keep the pressure on [the Indian government up] every time the occasion arises," he said, adding that OIC desired a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue.

Sartaj Aziz on behalf of the county thanked the OIC for supporting the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people.

The OIC members and Pakistan have agreed to formulate a plan of action to prevent the publication of blasphemous material and its circulation on social media, he said.

"We must work together to combat Islamophobia and the rising incidents of hatred and hostility against Muslims."

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