MUZAFFARABAD, Nov 30: Seif El Islam Qadhafi, son of Libyan President Moamer Qadhafi and head of Qadhafi International Foundation, on Saturday said he had great realization of the miseries of his brethren in Kashmir and would do whatever is possible to mitigate their sufferings.

“I have a message for you from my father, Moamer Qadhafi, that you are our Muslim brothers and that you should not consider yourselves alone in these difficult times of yours,” said Seif El Islam to more than 2,000 refugees, who had assembled at the University College Ground.

Mr Islam was here for delivery of “Eid gifts” for 5,000 poor families, mainly of the Kashmiri refugees. Officials from his charity said each pack had 20kg of flour, 5kg of rice, 3kg of sugar, 2.5kg of ghee, 1kg of dates and one blanket.

The administration had maintained tight security at the venue and the personal security personnel of Mr Islam were also there.

Mr Islam was accompanied by AJK Legislative Assembly Speaker Sardar Siab Khalid and senior minister Syed Mumtaz Ali Gillani.

However, he did not address the crowd and his brief message was delivered to them in his presence by Additional Deputy Commissioner (general) Syed Zahoorul Hassan Gillani.

“I have great realization of the miseries of the oppressed Kashmiri refugees and I am here to express solidarity with them and also to express my determination to extend all possible aid and support to them,” said Mr Islam.

“These gifts are the first instalment. I will ask my organization to assess your problems so that more aid is provided to you,” he added.

Maulana Shahabuddin Madni of Jamiat Ahl-i-Hadith welcomed the visitor, in Arabic.

A handout said Mr Islam, during a meeting with President Sardar Mohammad Anwar Khan, supported the right to self-determination of the Kashmiris.

“We believe in the right to self-determination as this could bring a solution to this issue. The people of Kashmir should be given an opportunity to decide their future in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations,” he said at the meeting after the president briefed him on the situation in occupied Kashmir due to India’s perpetual denial of Kashmiris’ rights.

“I visited India last year and tried to convince the leadership there that they should stop atrocities on the Kashmiris and try to find out settlement of the problem through negotiations,” the handout quoted him as telling the president.

The president called for a joint strategy on part of the Islamic countries to meet the challenges confronting the Ummah.

The Arab states, he emphasized, should exert pressure on India to resolve the Kashmir issue in accordance with the aspirations of its people.