The OIC Contact Group on Kashmir reaffirmed its support for the Kashmiri people's inalienable right to self-determination. The OIC Joint Communique denounced the Indian authorities’ plea seeking the death penalty for one of the most prominent Kashmiri leaders, Mr Yaseen Malik, who was awarded a life sentence in 2022, and demanded his immediate acquittal and release.
The communique also called for reversing all illegal and unilateral measures taken on or after 5 August 2019, stopping the gross, systematic, and widespread human rights abuses in the Indian Occupied Kashmir, halting and reversing the illegal demographic changes in the disputed territory, allowing unrestricted access to UN Special procedures, international media and independent observers to visit the region.
The communique also condemned the banning of a number of Kashmiri political parties and the ongoing campaign to confiscate the properties of the Kashmiri activists, to suppress dissent and intimidate the local population.
OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha said in his opening remarks: “OIC remains steadfast in its mission to intensify advocacy, outreach and awareness-raising activities concerning multifaceted dimensions of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. It will continue its efforts to call for the implementation of the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council on Jammu and Kashmir.”
Turkiye’s Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz said: “We believe that the Kashmir issue should be resolved through dialogue between India and Pakistan on the basis of the relevant UN resolutions and in line with the aspirations of the people of Kashmir.
Türkiye will continue to be in solidarity with our Kashmiri brothers and sisters for a peaceful, comprehensive and lasting solution to this issue.” Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkiye added: “The Kashmir issue became more complicated after India’s unilateral decision to revoke Article 370, which grants a special status to Jammu-Kashmir in the Indian Constitution, on 5 August 2019. The unilateral election process maintained by India accelerates the tension in Jammu Kashmir. “
Azerbaijan's Deputy Foreign Minister ELnur Mammadov said that “Our unwavering position is that the Jammu and Kashmir issue must be resolved peacefully through dialogue and negotiations in full accordance with UN Security Council resolutions. Azerbaijan urges the UN to intensify its efforts to achieve a lasting and just solution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, grounded in international law and relevant Security Council resolutions. Resolving this outstanding dispute is essential for ensuring peace and stability in the broader South Asian region.
Saudi Ambassador Mr. Haitham Al-Aalki said that OIC needs to explore ways and comprehensive strategy to resolve the Kashmir dispute. Kashmir conflict needs to be resolved through peaceful dialogue and the people of Jammu and Kashmir need to be given their legitimate right to decide their future.
Mr. Khawaja Muhammad Asif, the Defence Minister of Pakistan said that “As Jammu and Kashmir is an international dispute, the Indian government or its judiciary have no right to take unilateral measures against the will of the other parties to the dispute i.e., Kashmiri people and Pakistan. Undoubtedly, India’s actions of 5 August 2019, and the subsequent steps ever since, constitute a breach of the UN Charter, UN Security Council resolutions, and international law, including 4th Geneva Convention.
Khawaja Asif added that he OIC and its Member States should use their influence to urge India to improve the human rights situation in IIOJK; release the political prisoners; repeal draconian emergency laws; remove military presence from populated areas; and implement the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, Secretary General, World Kashmir Awareness Forum attended in his capacity as ‘True Representative of the People of Jammu and Kashmir.’ He said that the recent election conducted by Indian government in occupied Jammu and Kashmir is preposterous, pointless, and nonsensical. Such exercises have been conducted in the past and have failed to hoodwink people of Kashmir and the international community. The stakeholders of this unresolved and protracted problem consider it as “rubbing salt” on the wounds of Kashmiri people who have suffered tremendously under Indian occupation. These fraudulent elections were conducted in presence of over 900,000 occupation forces. The personnel are armed to teeth and on an average, there is one soldier for every 6 adult men.
Fai emphasized that all the genuine and accredited leadership of Kashmir like Yasin Malik, Shabir Ahmed Shah, Masarat Aalam, Asia Andrabi and noted human right activist, Khurram Parvez continue to languish in jail under framed up charges. They need to be released immediately and unconditionally. The draconian laws like AFSPA and UAPA continue to exist and that provides the occupation forces to act with impunity. They can arrest, kill, loot, plunder, molest women, raid the residences without any legal re-course for the victims.
It is reported, Dr. Fai said that New Delhi has invited diplomats from 15 countries to observe the current phase of elections in Kashmir. If New Delhi was keen to show normalcy as the reports suggest, they should have allowed an international media like CNN and other international media outlets who had also sought permission to cover these elections as they would be able to meet with the cross section of people. The fact that these elections are held in the presence of 900,000 Indian occupation forces negates any perceived semblance of normalcy in Kashmir.
It is worth mentioning here that the United Nations Security Council resolution # 91 of 1951 and 122 of 1957 has made it abundantly clear that any election in Kashmir cannot be the substitute for a referendum in Kashmir that has to be conducted and monitored under the supervision of the United Nations.
Other participants were Mr. Yousef-Al-Dobeay, OIC Special Envoy for Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Hama Knsaye Souleymane, Niger's Director of International Organizations at the Foreign Ministry and OIC Ambassador to the United Nations Ambassador Hameed Ajibaiye Opeloyeru.