JEDDAH, 7 February 2007 — Assistant Secretary-General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference Ezzat Kamel Mufti reaffirmed the OIC’s continuous and unflinching support to the Kashmiris struggling for their right to self-determination.
Mufti, who is also the special representative of the OIC secretary-general on Jammu and Kashmir, was speaking at a largely-attended Kashmir Solidarity Day function held at the residence of the Pakistani Consul General Masood Akhtar on Monday night.
The OIC official praised President Pervez Musharraf’s peace initiative and urged India to seize the opportunity to resolve the decades-old conflict peacefully and in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions. He said the OIC backed a peaceful resolution of the conflict. He said he would visit Azad Kashmir soon to express his solidarity with the people of Kashmir.
Rizwan Saeed Shaikh, consul at the Kashmir Desk in the OIC, read out a special message of President Musharraf and said involving the Kashmiri leadership in the peace process was Islamabad’s priority. He said the Pakistan government was taking steps to build confidence among the Kashmiris on both sides of the border for a peaceful settlement of the dispute.
Pakistan’s State Minister for Religious Affairs Aamir Liaquat Hussain said the peace process initiated by President Musharraf would certainly culminate in the settlement of the row.
He said the sacrifices rendered by the Kashmiris would not go to waste.
Hussain said the recent visit of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq speaks volumes for the congenial atmosphere existing for a peace drive.
Consul General Masood Akhtar said members of the Pakistani community should raise awareness about the Kashmir issue among their Saudi friends and colleagues. He said the Kashmir Committee in Jeddah had been very instrumental in collecting relief goods and raising donations for the quake-affected people soon after the tragedy in October 2005.
Kashmir Committee’s President Mian Khaled, Secretary-General Munir Gondal and representative of the Investment Board Tareq Akram also attended the function.
