The two-day conference of foreign ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation ended on Wednesday with a wide-ranging Islamabad Declaration which contained as many as 70 points including renewal of solidarity with the people of Kashmir and Palestine.
“Palestine and Kashmir were two glaring examples of injustice, oppression, occupation, and human rights violations,” said the Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, while speaking at the conference.
Islamabad Declaration at the end of the session renewed solidarity with the people of Kashmir as well as Palestine and expressed full support for their undeniable right to self-determination.
Highlights of Islamabad Declaration:
- Forceful resolution on Jammu and Kashmir Dispute
- Comprehensive Joint Communiqué and an Action Plan by the Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir
- Strong resolution on Palestine
- Operationalization of OIC Humanitarian Trust Fund on Afghanistan
- Appointment of OIC Special Envoy on Islamophobia
- Resolution on threats to peace and security in South Asia – grave concerns over Indian missile launch incident of 9 March
- Pakistan’s proposal to convene a Ministerial Conference to identify mechanisms and tools for promotion of peace and prevention of conflicts in the Muslim world
OIC urges India to cease oppression in Kashmir
“We declare that the final settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions is indispensable for durable peace in South Asia” the OIC members said.
OIC reiterates call on India to:
- Reverse its unilateral and illegal measures instituted since 5th August 2019
- Cease its oppression and human rights violations against the Kashmiris in IIOJK
- Halt and reverse attempts to alter the demographic structure and to redraw electoral constituencies in IIOJK
- Take concrete and meaningful steps for full implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir.
OIC Secretary-General concluding statement
“Palestine remains high on the agenda of OIC and was discussed thoroughly. All participating ministers reiterated their support for the Palestine cause”, said OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha, while speaking at a media conference at the end of the 48th CFM session.
“The question of Jammu and Kashmir was thoroughly discussed. This is a just cause. It has our full support. The conference reaffirmed our stance and reiterated support for the right of Kashmiri people to self-determination,” he said.
Russia-Ukraine conflict
Moreover, the OIC member states expressed “deep concern at the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation arising from the conflict in Ukraine.”
“Having deliberated on the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine at the 48th Session of Council of Foreign Ministers, we call for an immediate cessation of hostilities to prevent further loss of life and ensure that the humanitarian crisis does not worsen in Ukraine,” the declaration said.
The OIC urged both sides to engage in “meaningful dialogue” with the purpose of finding a solution.
Pakistan hosted the OIC’s 48th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers held in Islamabad on March 22 and 23. More than 600 delegates participated in the session, with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi attending the event as a special guest.