DESPARDES — The 57-member Muslim states Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Permanent Independent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) on Wednesday said India seeks to alter Muslim-majority demographic structure in Occupied Kashmir.
“The Kashmiri people have strongly condemned this illegal move in the past too,” the OIC further observed.
It also rejected Delhi’s new domicile law in the occupied valley, calling it a violation of the UNSC resolutions.
India was taking such illegal steps at a time when the world was battling the coronavirus pandemic, it said.
The Muslim-member organization urged the United Nations and the international community to put pressure on the Indian government to curb its illegal activities in the occupied Himalayan valley.
It also urged the international community to ensure implementation of UN Security Council and OIC’s resolutions in Occupied Kashmir.
“OIC strongly condemns the new domicile law in occupied Kashmir,” observed the organization, the IPHRC noted.
The Indian government has continued its illegal activities and gross violations of international human rights in the besieged valley since August 5, 2019, the OIC noted.
Last year, the OIC gave India observer status. India has a huge Muslim population –22m which makes it the largest minority community in the subcontinent.
Commenting on the organization’s strongly-worded statement on the situation in occupied valley, strategic affairs analyst Dr. S.M. Ali said that “OIC’s rejection of Indian attempt to annex Occupied Kashmir indicates support for Kashmiri independence within the Muslim world is growing.”
Islamabad has strongly condemned and completely rejected the new rules announced by Delhi, paving way for non-Kashmiris to seek a permanent settlement in the disputed region.
The move was part of BJP-led government’s August 5 decision to illegally annex Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, a longstanding dispute between Islamabad and New Delhi.
The two nuclear-armed neighbors have gone to war four times on the dispute. The region under lockdown since 10 months, is heavily militarized and considered a nuclear flashpoint.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Imran Khan and a senior defense official pointed out respectively that the BJP-led government may conduct a “false flag” or undertake “military adventure”. It is a “Go to” option for PM Modi the official said on condition of anonymity as he’s not authorized to comment officially.
Over few weeks, there has been an uptick in ceasefire violations along the LoC, independent reports indicate.
On Wednesday, Indian Army troops reportedly initiated unprovoked firing using mortars/automatics along the LoC targeting civilian population.
Based on original report in The Express Tribune and additional input.
