ISLAMABAD: The Kashmir issue remained a focal point during a series of meetings of the visiting Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr Yousef Ahmad Al-Othaimeen, with the Pakistani leadership on Tuesday.

The Pakistani leaders demanded that the report of the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of the OIC whose members visited Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and the Line of Control (LoC) last month should be disseminated widely to highlight the suffering of people in India-held Kashmir at the hands of Indian armed forces.

The OICsecretary generalspenta busy day on Tuesday during which he held meetings with President Mamnoon Hussain, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. During his meeting with the interior minister the issue of blasphemous content on social media was discussed in detail.

According to the president`s spokesman, Mr Hussain noted that the visit of the OIC delegation to AJK and the LoC was quite important and hoped that its report would carry a great deal of credibility and respect.

`Circulate the report to all member states, important capitals of the world and to relevant international forums to highlight the sufferings ofKashmiri people and the issue of continuous denial of their right of self-determination,` the president told the OIC chief.

He urged the OIC to play a proactive role in resolving the two oldest disputes in the world which relate to the Muslims of Palestine and Jammu and Kashmir. `Both issues are very close to our hearts and demand our persistent attention,` he said.

Right to self-determination Welcoming Dr Al-Othaimeen on his first visit to Pakistan, the president appreciated the OIC and brotherly Muslim countries for expressing solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir for the realisation of their right to self-determination. He commended the recent step taken by the OIC in asking the government of India to facilitate the visit of its Special Representative on Jammu and Kashmir to held Kashmir.

The president said terrorism was a global threat but unfortunately it was affecting Muslims more than anyone else. `The platform of the OIC must be used to build a narrative against extremism and terrorism as a narrative coming from the OIC will have high credibility and acceptability with the Ummah,` he added.

He expressed concern at a disturbing rise in the incidents of racial and religious hatred, discrimination, and violence against Muslims, especially against Muslim minorities, and asked the secretary general to consider organising a high-level international event to draw attention of the international community to this end.

Speaking on the occasion Dr Al-Othalmeen said the agenda of the Kashmir issue was at the forefront of the OICandexpressedgraveconcern on the ongoing gross human rights violations and inhuman treatment meted out to the innocent people ofKashmir by Indian security forces.

`The OIC will continue to play its due role for the just resolution of the Kashmir and Palestine disputes in accordance with the aspirations of their people,` he said.

The OIC head said Pakistan was an important and leading member of Muslim world and appreciated its efforts to eradicate the scourge of terrorism.

He was quoted as saying: `I will work towards further strengthening the bond of Muslim Ummah to collectively face and address all the challenges being faced by Muslims around the world.

Expressing solidarity Earlier, during his meeting with the OIC secretary general, PM Sharif said: `The report of the OIC commission on AJK and the LoC should be disseminated widely to highlight the suffering of the Kashmiri people.

The prime minister thanked the OIC and brotherly Muslim countries for expressing solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir for the realisation of their right to selfdetermination.

In a separate meeting with the OIC secretary general, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar expressed dissatisfaction over what he called `silence` of Muslim countries on the issue of blasphemous content circulated in the internet and social media. `People of Pakistan are quite grieved that no effective notice has so far been taken at Muslim world level,` he said.

`It is the voice of millions of Muslims, which is justified, that the OIC will safeguard their sentiments and will reflect their concerns,` he added.

He said the issue of blasphemous contents was not the issue of only Pakistanis but over 1.6 billion Muslims of the world.