OIC Contact Group demands India to withdraw unilateral step for occupied Kashmir

NEW YORK: The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir urged the Indian government to immediately withdraw its unilateral step for the occupied valley, read the declaration on Wednesday.

The OIC Contact Group released a declaration after the conclusion of its session where the member states expressed deep concerns over the Indian tactics to change demography of the Muslim majority in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

The declaration stated that the steps taken by India are not only came into violation the international laws but also against the promises of the New Delhi government for the disputed territory. The move is tantamount to transform the Muslim majority area in Hindu majority territory, it stated.

The group welcomed reports of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) over the HR violation in IoK and it also praised UN Security Council’s session on August 16 over the request of Pakistan.

Jammu and Kashmir is primary dispute between Pakistan and India which must be resolved in accordance with the UN resolutions for the regional peace, urged OIC Contact Group.

India must ensure the implementation of UN resolutions and the usage of power must be stopped against the peaceful protestors besides releasing all prisoners. New Delhi government must withdraw its black laws and grant access to human rights’ organisations to the occupied valley, the declaration stated.

‘Declaration signed by all members’

Foreign Minster Shah Mehmood Qureshi, while talking to media after the conclusion of OIC Contact Group’s session in New York, said that the President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir represented Kashmiris where the joint declaration was signed by all members.

“The signing of joint declaration ends the ambiguity of the people regarding the OIC as whole Muslim Ummah is completely united for Kashmir dispute,” he said.

“The editorial board of New York Times called on Prime Minister Imran Khan here and the premier will also meet his Norwegian counterpart to discuss the latest situation of occupied Jammu and Kashmir.”

“I will also raise the Kashmir issue in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) session. The voice of Kashmiris is strengthening day by day as it is a pride moment that PM Khan delivered a clear stance on Kashmir before US President Donald Trump.”

He said that thousands of people will protests against Indian prime minister Narendra Modi during the address of PM Khan. Qureshi added that the government has witnessed a clear change in US-government’s behaviour.

While answering to a question, the foreign minister said that India has made the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) a meaningless platform. He added New Delhi rulers should tell the reason for feeling insecure at SAARC if everything is alright from their side.

He reiterated the PM Khan’s statement, saying that the world is completely aware of Indian illegal moves but the constraints to trade stop them to take action.

PM Khan’s address at OIC session

Prime Minister Imran Khan said that over eight million innocent Kashmiri people are under military siege in Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK).

He was speaking at a dinner in the honor of Delegates of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Contact Group on the sidelines of 74th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

The prime minister raised the question that if these [Kashmiri] people were European then what reaction was to be of the world community. He said that we have to awaken the international community.

“The international community has failed to act according to the expectations.”

Imran Khan said if Kashmiris fight for their right, it is called terrorism and they are being oppressed because they are Muslims.

The premier said that under the curfew there is an imminent risk of the genocide of Kashmiri Muslims. He said atrocities being witnessed in the valley never happened in the past.

Mr Khan said minorities including Muslims and Christians are not safe and they are being treated as inferior citizens.