Islamabad: In a significant meeting held on the sidelines of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, ministers and senior officials from the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir reaffirmed their support for the Kashmiri struggle for self-determination, emphasizing the necessity of resolving the dispute in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
According to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting, chaired by the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), involved comprehensive discussions on the current situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). The group reviewed reports from the OIC General Secretariat and the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission, as well as briefings from various member states and representatives of the Kashmiri people.
The communiqué issued by the Contact Group condemned India’s unilateral actions since August 5, 2019, which are seen as attempts to alter the demographic structure and political landscape of IIOJK. It rejected the Indian Supreme Court’s recent judgment regarding the status of IIOJK and denounced the ongoing detention of Kashmiri political leaders and activists, including the demand for the death penalty against prominent leader Mr. Yaseen Malik.
The group also expressed serious concerns over India’s human rights record in IIOJK, urging an immediate end to violations and calling for the release of all detained political figures. They highlighted the importance of international monitoring and reporting, requesting the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to issue a third report on the situation.
Furthermore, the OIC Contact Group stressed that legislative assembly elections in IIOJK are not a substitute for the right to self-determination and criticized statements from Indian leaders asserting claims over Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. They urged unrestricted access for the OIC Special Envoy, IPHRC, UN mandate holders, and international organizations to visit the region.
In a series of directives, the Group demanded India reverse its post-August 2019 measures, cease human rights abuses, release political prisoners, repeal restrictive laws, and allow international observers access to IIOJK. They also called for the implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions pertaining to the Jammu and Kashmir issue.
The meeting’s outcomes are expected to be communicated to various international bodies, including the UN Secretary General and the Human Rights Council, through the OIC’s observer missions in New York and Geneva, emphasizing the ongoing international concern over the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.