Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh called on Secretary General Dr. Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen to discuss current developments in the Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of a litany of illegal actions by the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The recent illegal notification of ‘Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Order 2020', its demographic implications and the way forward from the OIC's standpoint were analyzed during the meeting. According to the press release from the permanent mission of Pakistan to OIC and other international organizations Ambassador Sheikh thanked Al-Othaimeen for the recent statements categorically rejecting Indian government's actions that constituted blatant violations of international law, UN and OIC resolutions — especially UNSC Resolution 122. The Ambassador Sheikh briefed the secretary general on India's criminal disregard of the rights of Kashmiri people — in accordance with the Fourth Geneva Convention — in the Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He emphasized that the OIC needed to "step in" and "step up" its efforts in seeking the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people. The secretary general reiterated OIC's longstanding and principled position on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and assured Ambassador Sheikh of unstinted and unwavering support to the Kashmiri people. On a separate note, Ambassador Sheikh informed the secretary general on the situation of Muslim minority in India. The OIC chief agreed on the necessity of activating various OIC mechanisms to tackle Islamophobia. The meeting explored steps that may be taken in that regard. Ambassador Sheikh also informed the secretary general that Pakistan had appointed new Coordinator General of COMSTECH who was a virologist by profession with decades of experience in vaccine development under his belt. The prospect of COMSTECH leading the OIC Member States' efforts in vaccine development for COVID-19 and other important areas in a post Covid-19 world was discussed at the meeting. The secretary general appreciated Pakistan's important role as a founding and active member state of the organization.
