JEDDAH — The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), under the new leadership of Iyad Madani, should seriously strive to resolve the 60-year-old issue of Kashmir, a former diplomat and renowned scholar has said. Dr. Ali Al-Ghamdi, chief guest at the “Kashmir and the obligation of Muslim World" symposium here this week, said as per the two-nation theory Kashmir should have been an integral part of Pakistan as more than its 90 percent population was Muslim. "It was because of a British conspiracy that Kashmir was handed over to a non-Muslim ruler who called in the Indian army to suppress the popular voice of the Kashmiris," he said. The symposium was organized by Pakistan Repatriation Council (PRC) as part of the Kashmir Solidarity Day. "Pakistan and India have fought several wars on the Kashmir issue. India tabled a resolution at the United Nations committing to organize a plebiscite in Kashmir, but has reneged on its promise," Al-Ghamdi said. The chief guest also urged the OIC to resolve the issue of stranded Pakistanis languishing in Bangladeshi camps for over four decades. "Since Pakistan and Bangladesh both are members of the OIC, it is most appropriate that its takes sincere initiative to resolve the issue," he said. He praised the PRC for projecting the issues of Kashmir and the stranded Pakistanis. "They are oppressed Muslims and need attention of the Muslim World," he said. Kashmir Committee meets Meanwhile, the Kashmir Committee (Jeddah Chapter) reviewed current human rights situation in the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir and expressed its complete solidarity with the Kashmiri people who are struggling for their inalienable rights including the right of self-determination. The meeting, held Tuesday at the Consulate General of Pakistan, unanimously adopted a resolution underscoring that in the absence of right of self-determination, it was not possible for the Kashmiris to enjoy any other rights. The resolution commended Pakistan for its unconditional political, moral and diplomatic support for the Kashmiri struggle and denounced continued Indian occupation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. It called on India to stop gross and systematic human rights violations of the Kashmiri people and allow international human rights and humanitarian organizations an unhindered access to the occupied state.
