Blood, Cries and Tears exhibition and seminar at OIC secretariat Jeddah

Blood, Cries, and Tears

Kashmir is one of the oldest unresolved UN agenda: President Azad Jammu & Kashmir – Blood, Cries and Tears

Waqar Naseem Wamiq, Riyadh – President Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Sardar Masood Khan has said that Kashmir is one of the oldest issues on the UN agenda and it still remains unresolved. He added that as we gather here, our brothers and sisters living in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir have spent more than 100 days under a crushing curfew.

President Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Sardar Masood Khan

Media blackout imposed upon them by Indian occupation forces after 5th August illegal and unilateral action. He added that the human rights violation in the occupied Jammu & Kashmir continues unabated. This high handedness by the Indian Occupation Forces has turned Kashmir into the largest prison in the world.

He said this while addressing a Photo exhibition and Seminar on Kashmir titled, “Kashmir: Blood, Cries and Tears”, held at OIC secretariat Jeddah. The Chief Guest at the occasion was OIC Secretary General’s representative on Kashmir and Assistant Secretary-General Yousaf bin Muhammad al-Zabeay. A large number of diplomats and Pakistani community representatives attended the event.

Sardar Masood said that in these testing times the people of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir look to their Muslim brothers and sisters for support. The support extended to them by the OIC is not only instrumental in effectively projecting the Kashmiri cause but also a source of hope and strength for the Kashmiri people.

He said that Kashmiri Muslims being targeted because they are Muslims. While we urge upon the OIC member states to continue impressing upon India and the international community to fulfill their promise to the Kashmiri people as enshrined in the UN and OIC resolutions.

The OIC should also stress upon India to give access to international media and independent human rights observers. Who can independently confirm reports of abuse, violations, and use of excessive force?

Yousaf bin Muhammad

Yousaf bin Muhammad Secretary-General representative on Kashmir, while speaking at the occasion said that OIC attaches great importance to the Kashmiri people and their peaceful struggle for self-determination in accordance with the UN resolutions. This event is contributing to the fulfillment of OIC’s obligation to promote and protect the human rights of Kashmiris struggling for their right of self-determination in line with its UN and OIC resolutions, he added.

In addition, he said that the OIC has supported Kashmiris as the issue has long been in the agenda of all OIC summit and the Council of Foreign Ministers meetings. OIC also has formed a Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir since 1994 and since then it holds regular meetings to reiterate the support of the OIC Members and has shown concern on the situation in Kashmir.

Syed Abdullah Gillani and Faiz Naqshbandi, True Representatives of Kashmiri People, briefed the audience about the prevailing situation and continued human rights violations in the Indian Occupied Kashmir. He called on the international community and the OIC, in particular, to play its role so that Kashmiri people can exercise their inherent right of self-determination. He said that the Government of Pakistan under Prime Minister Imran Khan has raised the issue of Kashmir on all international forums, which has given impetus to the issue.

Pakistan’s Ambassador Raja Ali Ejaz

While giving his concluding remarks, Pakistan’s Ambassador Raja Ali Ejaz and Permanent Representative to OIC, Rizwan Sheikh also spoke at the occasion and said that this year’s Kashmir Black Day holds special significance in view of the escalated human rights violations in Indian occupied Kashmir. Today, the entire Indian state machinery is committing the worst form of state terrorism against the innocent and defenseless Muslim civilians of Indian Occupied Kashmir, who are simply asking for their right to self-determination. The human rights violation in occupied Kashmir call for the immediate attention of the international community.

Finally, the Consul General Mr. Khalid Majid expressed gratitude to the OIC and the KSA for their continued support to the cause of Kashmir. He said that the pictures displayed in the exhibition merely portray the sufferings of the people of Kashmir under occupation. Though the real magnitude of violence remains out of the reach of media. Real sufferings are much more as India is obscuring the true picture by not allowing any world body to visit Kashmir.

Firstly, the members of the Kashmir Committee Jeddah presented a resolution to Secretary-General. Secondly, calling on India to stop forthwith the gross human rights violations in IoK. Thirdly, asking the international community to intensify its efforts in condemning India for continuous human rights violations in IoK. Also, urging the OIC to continue playing a leading role in protecting the Kashmir issue at an international level.