Islamabad, 11 Oct 2023:Yousef M Al Dobeay, Special Envoy to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary General on Kashmir, asserted unswerving support for the Kashmiri people’s pursuit for the right to self-determination, according to a press release by Kashmir Media Service (KMS). Al Dobeay underscored the OIC’s staunch opposition to the actions taken by India on 5th August 2019 and called for their reversal during a joint news conference with Foreign Secretary Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi in Islamabad on Wednesday. Qazi highlighted the imprisonment of the Hurriyat leadership and around four thousand political activists and human rights defenders, expressing gratitude to the OIC for its unwavering backing of the Kashmir cause.

In the meeting, Al Dobeay emphasized the OIC’s firm stand with the Kashmiri people and pledged to elevate their struggle on all pertinent forums. He, along with Qazi, illuminated the Indian government’s oppressive maneuvers in the region, particularly those that have unfolded since the controversial steps taken on 5th August 2019. Qazi noted that the ultimate goal of these measures is to render the Kashmiris a powerless minority in their homeland.

The Foreign Secretary elaborated on the special envoy’s itinerary, which includes meetings with leadership from Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and a visit to the Line of Control (LOC) to receive briefings on the ground situation. Al Dobeay will also interact directly with Kashmiri representatives to acquire a deeper understanding of their plight.

Qazi pointed out that the Indian leadership aims to perpetuate its occupation of Jammu and Kashmir and spoke on the unlawful and unilateral steps from August 5th, 2019. He stressed the importance of timely and comprehensive implementation of decisions made under the OIC resolutions and the action plan adopted by the Contact Group, intending to alleviate the sufferings of the Kashmiri people and to find a durable solution to the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.