Secretary General Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) expressed deep concerned over killing of innocent Kashmiris,
H.E. Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani visited the Pakistan to discuss during the situation in the Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir
By;Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD — H.E. Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), visited the Pakistan from 19-21 August 2016. The Secretary General was accompanied by senior officials of the OIC Secretariat. H.E. Mr. Sartaj Aziz, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, received the Secretary General at Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Discussions during the meeting focused on a number of challenges facing the Muslim world, particularly on the situation in the Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir and peace in Afghanistan. The Advisor to the Prime Minister Pakistan apprised the OIC Secretary General of the grave humanitarian situation in Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir where large-scale violations of human rights were being carried out by Indian Occupation forces. The Secretary General said that reason for his visit to Pakistan was the current situation in IOK. He expressed deep concern at the killing of innocent civilians in IOK and sorrow at the indiscriminate use of force and gross violations of human rights in IOK by the Indian occupation forces. He appreciated the continued commitment of Pakistan to the peaceful resolution of the Jammu & Kashmir dispute and reiterated OIC’s position in support of the right of self determination of the people of Jammu & Kashmir. The world’s largest bloc of Muslim countries expressed concern over alleged human rights violations in Indian-controlled Kashmir, which has seen weeks of deadly clashes between Muslim protesters and police. H.E. Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani, Secretary General of the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation, said at a news conference in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad on other day that the situation in Kashmir was deteriorating and urged the international community to act.“The situation is getting worse rather than better and this cannot continue,” H.E. Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani said after meeting with Sartaj Aziz, the foreign affairs adviser to Pakistan’s Prime Minister. Kashmir, a predominantly Muslim region, is divided between India and Pakistan but claimed in its entirety by both. Most Kashmir’s want an end to Indian rule and favor independence or a merger with Pakistan, which has long called for a referendum on the region’s future. Hindu-majority India has refused to hold such a vote. “We should not be afraid of referendum,” Madani said, adding that it was up to the Kashmiri people to decide their future. Standing next to him at a Joint Press Stakeout; Aziz accused Indian forces of using lethal force against Kashmir’s protesting peacefully over extrajudicial killings. He said a peaceful solution to the dispute over the region “is an imperative for regional peace and stability.”More than 68,000 people have been killed since rebel groups began fighting Indian forces in 1989 and in the subsequent Indian military crackdown. India accuses Pakistan of arming and training rebels, a charge Islamabad denies. H.E. Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani, Secretary General OIC briefed the Adviser on OIC’s efforts for peace in Afghanistan. The Adviser appreciated the efforts undertaken by the OIC in this regard and assured that Pakistan remains committed to the promotion of peace and reconciliation in the country through an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process. This was the fourth visit of the OIC Secretary General to Islamabad since assuming the office on 01 January 2014. The Secretary General also visited Pakistan for the Fifteenth Session of the Executive Committee of COMSTECH held on 30 May – 01 June 2016 in Islamabad. Earlier the Advisor to the Prime Minister at a Joint Press Stakeout with the OIC Secretary General delivered his remarks over the Kashmir situation, Advisor to the Prime Minister Pakistan said that ‘I am very pleased to welcome Brother H.E. Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani, Secretary General OIC .In our meeting today, we exchanged views on further enhancing cooperation between Pakistan and OIC on the matters of interest to the Muslim Ummah. I took the opportunity to brief Mr. Madani on the regional situation, specially the current situation in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOK)’’.Advisor to the Prime Minister Pakistan said that ‘’The use of lethal force by the Indian occupation forces in the IOK against the defenseless Kashmir’s, who are protesting peacefully over extrajudicial killings, is deplorable. In the last 40 days, more than 80 Kashmir’s have been martyred, 6000 injured and over a hundred have lost their eyesight due to pellet guns firing’’. Advisor to the Prime Minister Pakistan thanked the Secretary General for the consistent support of the OIC to the right of the people of Jammu and Kashmir to self-determination. Peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions, which is in line with the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, is an imperative for the regional peace and stability. OIC Contact Group on Kashmir will be meeting again in September 2016, during the General Assembly Session in New York in the face of the gross violations of human rights in IOK Advisor to the Prime Minister Pakistan apprised the Secretary General of our desire of lasting peace in Afghanistan. The OIC has an important role in support of peace efforts in Afghanistan. We appreciate the efforts of the Secretary General in this regard. Advisor to the Prime Minister Pakistan said that ‘’we both stressed the need of intensifying cooperation among the OIC countries and constructive exchange of ideas to address the increasing trends of Islam phobia and defamation of religions. We also agree that the platform of the OIC must be used to build a narrative against extremism and terrorism’’. Advisor to the Prime Minister Pakistan said that ‘’Pakistan as a founding member of the OIC has always contributed towards strengthening the bonds of fraternity and solidarity among the Muslim countries. We remain committed to working with the OIC for advancing all the legitimate causes of the Muslim Ummah, including the right of self determination of the peoples of Palestine and Jammu and Kashmir’’ he, concludes. Meanwhile according to media reports a Kashmiri couple in their late 70s was injured in firing by Indian forces that have intensified night raids to arrest protesters in the region. The husband and wife were injured last Friday night by pellets from a shotgun fired as they tried to resist a police party looking for one of their sons for allegedly leading anti-India protests in the southern Tral area. A police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with department policy reported that the raiding party “accidently fired” at the couple and “regretted” the incident. In signs of an intensified crackdown against protesters in Indian-held Kashmir since last week, local residents have increasingly accused counterinsurgency police and army soldiers of systematically raiding neighborhoods, ransacking houses and beating residents to intimidate protesters. More than 2,000 people have been arrested for participating in protests and clashes in recent weeks, state government officials said .Earlier last week, Indian army soldiers beat a young college teacher to death and injured dozens of other people in a raid in the southern Khrew area. The army later said that it regretted the incident. A security lockdown and protest strikes have shut the Indian portion of Kashmir since the killing of a popular rebel commander on July 8 sparked some of Kashmir’s largest protests against Indian rule in recent years. A strict curfew and a series of communication blackouts have failed to stop the protests, as residents have struggled to cope with shortages of food, medicine and other necessities. At least 63 civilians have been killed and thousands injured in protest-related violence. More over the President Azad Jammu & Kashmir hosted a dinner in honors of OIC Secretary General last night at Kashmir House, Islamabad.
ABOUT H.E. Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani, Secretary General OIC
Iyad bin Amin Madani (born April 1946) is a Saudi public figure who served in different cabinet posts. He is the secretary general of theOrganisation of Islamic Cooperation. He is the first Saudi official to hold that position. H.E. Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani, Secretary General OIC was born in Mecca in April 1946. He holds a bachelor’s degree in production administration, which he obtained from Arizona State University in 1969.
H.E. Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani, Secretary General OIC began his career as general director in a Saudi Airlines administrative office in 1970. Then, he joined media; he was editor-in-chief of Saudi Gazette until 1999, the first editor of the daily. At the same time he served as general director of the Okaz Organization for Press and Publication until his resignation in April 1993.He was appointed to the shoura council as a member. He served there until 1999 when he was appointed hajj minister. He was in office as Hajj minister from 1999 to February 2005.Next, he was appointed minister of culture and information in February 2005, replacing Fouad bin Abdulsalam Al Farsi, who in turn became Hajj minister. On 1 August 2005, Madani as information minister announced the death of King Fahd on state television. Madani was elected as the head of the Islamic International News Agency (IINA) and the Organization of Islamic Broadcasting in 2007. He was in office as information minister until 2009 when he was replaced by Abdulaziz Al Khoja in the post. During his tenure, Madani drew criticisms from Saudi clerics due to his tolerance towards the publications that were questioning the strong effects of the religious establishment in Saudi Arabia. Then H.E. Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani, Secretary General OIC was appointed chairman of the board of directors of Knowledge Economic City in Madinah on 10 March 2012, replacing Sami Mohsen Baroum. He also served as vice president of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Foundation for housing development. In November 2012, Saudi Arabia nominated Madani to the post of secretary general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) at the 39th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of OIC member states in Djibouti. On 2 February 2013, Arab News reported that Madani would replace Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu as secretary-general of the OIC. His appointment was officially announced after the 12th Summit of the OIC in Cairo on 8 February 2013. Madani’s term as secretary general of OIC was effective in January 2014.H.E. Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani, Secretary General OIC was awarded by the Malaysian government the prize, the Darjah Kebesaran Panglima Setia Mahkota (Knight of the Most Distinguished Order of Crown), in March 2009 due to his efforts in reinforcing solidarity of Muslim Ummah and his significant contributions in supporting the Saudi-Malaysian ties.
