Kashmir Issue
NEW YORK: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, emphasized the significance of the Kashmir issue as a pressing challenge to regional stability. He cautioned that leaving this matter unresolved could contribute to regional instability.
Speaking at a meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Contact Group on Kashmir during the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Prince Faisal reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s commitment to supporting Muslims in preserving their Islamic identity and dignity.
According to reports from the Saudi Press Agency, Prince Faisal informed the meeting that Saudi Arabia was actively engaged in mediating between conflicting parties to de-escalate tensions and seek a peaceful resolution in line with relevant international resolutions.
He reiterated Saudi Arabia’s support for the distressed populations in conflict-affected areas, including the Jammu and Kashmir region, as part of the kingdom’s unwavering stance in favor of Islamic peoples.
A statement from the OIC Contact Group called upon the international community to intensify its efforts in resolving the Jammu and Kashmir issue in accordance with pertinent UN Security Council resolutions.
Chaired by OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha, the meeting featured an update on the current regional situation provided by Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Gilani, who expressed gratitude to the secretary-general and Contact Group members for their unwavering support.
As outlined in a joint communiqué released by the Foreign Office in Islamabad, participants in the meeting rejected India’s illegal and unilateral actions of August 5, 2019, as well as subsequent measures aimed at undermining the internationally recognized disputed status of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
The OIC Contact Group expressed deep concern over statements made by Indian political leaders and military officers regarding their readiness to attack Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), considering such statements a serious threat to regional peace and stability.
The group demanded that India reverse all illegal and unilateral measures taken since August 5, 2019, cease gross, systematic, and widespread human rights abuses in IIOJK, and halt and reverse illegal demographic changes in the occupied territory.
Furthermore, the OIC Contact Group called for the release of all Kashmiri political prisoners by dropping fabricated charges against Kashmiri leadership and repealing draconian laws.
