OBSERVER REPORT
JEDDAH
The General Secretariat of the
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
on Saturday reaffirmed the internationally
recognised status of the
Jammu and Kashmir dispute, contradicting
the Indian government’s claim
that the matter was a bilateral issue
between it and Pakistan, a press release
issued by the Islamic bloc said.
According to the statement, the
OIC General Secretariat has been
“following with concern” the developments
in occupied Kashmir that
have occurred since India’s unilateral
decision to revoke Article 370 of
its constitution, which granted special
autonomy to occupied Kashmir,
on August 5.
“The General Secretariat reaffirms
the United Nations Security Council
Resolutions on the internationally
recognised status of Jammu and
Kashmir dispute and its final dispo-
OIC urges Modi govt to
immediately lift curfew in IOK
Reaffirms internationally recognised status of Kashmir,
its resolution through plebiscite
sition through a UN-supervised
plebiscite,” it said.
The OIC reiterated its solidarity
the people of occupied Kashmir, recalling
decisions taken at the OIC
Summit and resolutions adopted by
the Council of Foreign Ministers
meeting.
It called for the “immediate lifting
of the curfew, restoration of communication
and the respect for the fundamental
rights of Kashmiris”.
Recognizing the need for seeking
a durable solution to the Kashmir issue
according to UN Security Council
resolutions, the OIC General Secretariat
stressed the need for the resumption
of dialogue process between Pakistan
and India, which it termed as a “prerequisite
for development, peace and
stability in South Asia”.
The OIC also urged the government
of Prime Minister Narendra
Modi to immediately lift the brutal
curfew, which has been imposed in
the occupied valley for almost a
month, along with restoration of communication
and the respect for the
fundamental rights of Kashmiris.
On August 5, the Hindu nationalist
government of Indian Prime
Minister Narendra Modi stripped
Kashmiris of the special autonomy
they had for seven decades through
a rushed presidential order. An indefinite
curfew was imposed in occupied
Kashmir and elected leaders were put
under house arrest. The clampdown
is now on its 27th day.
The OIC statement on Kashmir
comes amidst criticism in Pakistan
over the Muslim countries and OIC’s
lukewarm response to India’s move
to annex occupied Kashmir. Former
Senate chairman Mian Raza Rabbani
on Friday even suggested that it was
high time for Pakistan to pull out of
the OIC.
Taking part in a discussion on
Kashmir in the upper house, he said
the “bubble of an Islamic Ummah has
burst” and Pakistan should reappraise
its relationship with the Muslim
world