Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) should take the lead in solving issues faced to Muslim World, said renowned Saudi scholar and ex-diplomat Dr. Ali Al-Ghamdi in his address at a symposium titled "Kashmir and obligation of Muslim World" in solidarity with Kashmiris. The event was organized by Pakistan Repatriation Council (PRC) on Saturday. Al-Ghamdi praised PRC for organizing the symposium on Kashmir. He said, "The Kashmir issue is an old issue like Palestine lying in UN and waiting for solution. In Palestine, Israel not only occupied but change the sanctity of Palestine. In Kashmir as well UN resolution of 1948 called for a referendum to let them decide whether they choose to live with Pakistan or India, but UN has miserably failed in taking care of those issues. Now the world has more and more pressing issues such as Syria, Yemen, Burmese Muslims which has made the old issues more difficult to solve." He appealed to Iyad Madani, secretary general of OIC, to take the lead in solving issues faced by the Muslim World and to press UN and other superpowers to play their role in solving the Kashmir issue to ensure peace between two nuclear neighbors. India and Pakistan along with genuine Kashmiri leadership should also continue dialogue to seek a solution of Kashmir peacefully." He appealed to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to fulfill his promise to repatriate and rehabilitate patriotic Pakistanis languishing in Bangladesh. He said Allah has blessed him to become prime minister thrice so he must take care of those oppressed Pakistanis. He said that Pakistan has to come forward to show it cares for it's ignored citizens." Choudhry Mohammad Riaz Ghumman of Kashmir Committee praised Kashmiris for their determination to secure right of self determination. He said, "UN took very fast action to organize plebiscite in East Timor and Sudan but failed to implement UN resolution to arrange plebiscite in Kashmir in the past 68 years. It is our moral and religious duty to support Kashmiris in their struggle. He prayed that issues of Kashmir and stranded Pakistanis will be solved soon." He also praised role of army chief Gen. Raheel Sharif for the bold steps in handling terrorism and his efforts to bring peace in the country. Azeez Ahmed praised PRC for holding symposium on Kashmir. He said that our government should work with close friends like Saudi Arabia to highlight the issue of Kashmir in OIC and UN. He also demanded repatriation of stranded Pakistanis urgently. Tayyab Mosani said that it is unfortunate that OIC could not solve Kashmir and other issues faced to Muslim world. He also urged Pakistan government to take measures for the repatriation of quarter million stranded Pakistanis from Bangladesh. Maqbool ur Rahman Abbassi said the ruling party along with all other parties should take united stance on Kashmir. Hamid Islam Khan, deputy convener, opened the symposium and reiterated PRC's mission for the cause of Kashmir and stranded Pakistanis will continue. Function started with the recitation of verses from the Holy Qur'an by Qari Mohammad Asif and a Naat was presented by Sher Afzal. Zamurrad Saifi and Mohammad Akram Agha presented poems. Mohammad Amanatullah conducted the symposium and presented his own write up on Kashmir. Convener Syed Ehsanul Haque thanked Dr. Ghamdi and all the guests, speakers, poets and journalists for participating and making the symposium a success. He hoped that Nawaz Sharif would also take urgent measures to solve the issue of stranded Pakistanis. Haque urged Pakistan government should use good offices of OIC, UN, China, US and other powers to influence India to ensure plebiscite in Kashmir according to UN's resolution of 1948. He appealed to Sharif to reactivate the Rabita Trust and restart the process of repatriation and rehabilitation. To overcome the paucity of fund, he suggested to implement PRC proposal of settlement of stranded Pakistanis on "self finance basis".
