India should immediately stop its security operations in the Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the Organisation of Islamic Countries said on Monday, demanding it refrain from revising the valley’s demographic structure.
The OIC, in a statement, said: “The Contact Group [on Jammu and Kashmir] called on India to halt security operations against the people of Jammu and Kashmir immediately, respect basic human rights, refrain from changing the demographic structure of the disputed territory, and settle the conflict under the relevant UNSC’s resolutions.â€
The statement came after the conclusion of an emergency meeting called by the OIC’s Contact Group. The meeting was attended by foreign ministers from the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Niger, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Republic of Turkey.
OIC Secretary-General Dr Yousef A Al-Othaimeen inaugurated the meeting and stressed the OIC’s “commitment to finding a peaceful settlement for the Jammu and Kashmir issue as per the relevant resolutions of the Islamic Summit, the Council of Foreign Ministers, and the international legitimacy.
“At the same time, I call on the international community to strengthen its efforts to assist the people of Kashmir to decisively practice their legitimate rights denied for decades,” Al-Othaimeen said.
The Contact Group reaffirmed the continued support for the people of Jammu and Kashmir and called on the United Nations Secretary-General to use his good offices to make India abide by the United Nations Security Council’s (UNSC) resolutions and engage in dialogue to calm the situation in the region.
On the other hand, the Contact Group highly appreciated the efforts made by the OIC General Secretariat through its Special Envoy to Jammu and Kashmir who visited the region in March 2020.
Meanwhile, according to Radio Pakistan, the meeting had rejected the newly-notified “Jammu & Kashmir Reorganization Order 2020” and “Jammu & Kashmir Grant of Domicile Certificate Rules 2020” aimed at changing the demographic structure of the Occupied Kashmir.
“The communique affirmed that Indian actions of 5th of August last year and new domicile rules are in complete violation of the UNSC Resolutions, international law including the 4th Geneva Conventions, and India’s own solemn commitments to implement UNSC resolutions,†the publication said.
The OIC’s Contact Group also expressed concern over New Delhi’s repeated ceasefire violations along the Line of Control — resulting in deaths to civilian population particularly women and children.
