OIC backs 'legitimate rights of self-determination of people of Jammu and Kashmir' at Makkah summit

Islamabad: The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has reiterated the grouping’s support for the legitimate rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with the United Nations resolutions, the Pakistan Foreign Office said in Islamabad on Saturday. The OIC is an international organisation of 57 member states, with 53 countries being Muslim-majority nations. [caption id=“attachment_6743331” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Several leaders of Muslim countries attended the 14th OIC summit was held in the holy city of Makkah on Friday. Twitter/OIC[/caption] Several leaders of Muslim countries attended the 14th OIC summit was held in the holy city of Makkah on Friday. Prime Minister Imran Khan represented Pakistan at the summit. The Pakistan Foreign Office said in a statement that the summit in Makkah reiterated the conference’s principled support for the legitimate right to self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with UN resolutions. India has made it clear that there is no scope for any third party role or mediation in Kashmir. The Ministry of External Affairs had said in March that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and is a matter strictly internal to India. The conference approved Yousef Aldobeay of Saudi Arabia as OIC’s special envoy for Jammu and Kashmir. The OIC also called for the adoption of a comprehensive strategy to combat Islamophobia, building on proposals made by Pakistan at the OIC Ministerial Executive Committee meeting in March 2019. Prime Minister Imran Khan, in his address, articulated Pakistan’s views on the situation in Kashmir, Palestine, Islamophobia and the need for science, technology and innovation for Muslim countries, the statement said. Khan held meeting with Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, Afghan president Ashraf Ghani, Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and other leaders on the sidelines of the summit, according to the statement.