Pakistan hails OIC statement on Indian SC decision on IIOJ&K status

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday welcomed a supportive statement on Kashmir from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the wake of the Indian Supreme Court verdict, which upheld Delhi’s decision to revoke the special status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K).

The organisation of 57 Islamic member states reiterated its call for reversing all illegal measures taken by the Indian government since August 5, 2019, aimed at changing the internationally-recognised disputed status of IIOJ&K.

“By articulating the collective will of the Islamic world, the OIC has expressed concern over Indian SC’s decision to endorse Indian president’s unconstitutional action of 5th of Aug, 2019. According to many Indian legal experts, the 2019 action of Indian president constituted a ‘sleight of hand’ and contrary to SC’s 1973 decision. They have rightly asked how the president could take this action unilaterally when a superior body like the parliament could not,” reacted caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jillani after the OIC issued a statement from its General Secretariat in Jeddah.

Earlier, Jillani pointed out that international law doesn’t recognise India’s unilateral and illegal actions of August 5, 2019.

“The judicial endorsement by the Indian Supreme Court has no legal value. Kashmiris have an inalienable right to self-determination in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions,” he said.

On Wednesday, the General Secretariat expressed concern over the verdict of India’s Supreme Court on December 11, 2023, upholding the actions taken by the Indian government on August 5, 2019 that stripped the IIOJ&K of its special status.

The statement said, “OIC General Secretariat expresses concern over the Indian Supreme Court’s judgment upholding the unilateral actions taken by the Indian government on 5th August 2019 that stripped the special status of the territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the OIC shared the decisions and resolutions of the Islamic Summit and the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers on the issue of IIOJK.”

The General Secretariat reaffirmed its solidarity with the IIOJ&K people in their quest for the right of self-determination and reiterated its call on the international community to enhance its efforts to resolve the issue of Jammu and Kashmir by the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.

China, too, one of the only regional countries that reacted after the Indian Supreme Court verdict emphasized that the issue of Kashmir had to be resolved by the UNSC resolutions.