Islamabad, Sep 26: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has on Wednesday expressed “grave concern” over the alleged pertaining human rights situation in India’s Jammu and Kashmir, following the New Delhi’s government decision to scrap Article 370, removing special status given to J&K.
In an official statement issued post a meeting the OIC’s Contact Group on J&K on the margins of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Wednesday in New York.
The statement said the OIC expressed “grave concern” that India’s moves aim to shift the identity and demographic composition of the “occupied Jammu and Kashmir and to transform it from a Muslim-majority state into Hindu-majority territory”.
The Contact Group on J&K was established in 1994 in order to coordinate the Islamic council’s policy on the J&K conflict.
The statement “affirmed that Indian actions are inconsistent with international law, applicable UN Security Council resolutions and India’s own solemn commitments to implement UNSC resolutions”.
The group also expressed strong disapproval on Kashmir curfew, the lockdown of the Kashmiri people, as well as, political leaders of Kashmir. The OIC stated the settlement issue is “indispensable for durable peace and stability in South Asia and beyond”.
The group called on India to “rescind its unilateral illegal actions, halt its human rights violations in the occupied Jammu and Kashmir, including the use of force against peaceful demonstrators and repeal its draconian emergency laws including withdrawing its heavy military presence from Kashmir”.