New York: Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has called on member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to maintain a unified stance on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir at the United Nations and other international platforms. He delivered these remarks during the ministerial meeting of the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir, held on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

According to Radio Pakistan, Ishaq Dar urged the OIC to press India to undo measures imposed since August 5, 2019, and to cease demographic alterations and assaults on the political, religious, and cultural identity of the Kashmiri people. He also advocated for the release of political prisoners and others detained arbitrarily. Furthermore, the Deputy Prime Minister called for the organization to demand unrestricted access to the region for the OIC Special Envoy, Fact-Finding Mission, and various international bodies, including the OHCHR and UN Special Procedures, as well as international media and independent observers. He emphasized the need for credible international accountability for human rights violations.

The Deputy Prime Minister expressed gratitude to the OIC for its continued support of the Kashmiri people. He stressed the importance of translating this solidarity into sustained diplomatic efforts. Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to a peaceful and just resolution of the Kashmir dispute, in line with UN Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. He reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognized issue on the UN Security Council’s agenda and emphasized the significance of the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination. Dar also highlighted India’s attempt to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty as an additional complicating factor, underscoring that the treaty is a binding international agreement with no provisions for unilateral suspension.