OIC rights body calls for resolution of Kashmir dispute

Islamabad

An Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) expressed deep concerns about the serious human rights violations in the Indian-occupied Kashmir, especially the use of pellet guns.

It also flayed the Indian security forces over the growing rape cases and nearly 6,000 unmarked mass graves in the occupied region. Complaining about the denial of permission to visit the held Kashmir for the assessment of the rights situation, the OIC body said it would continue making bids to check rights violations by Indian forces.

This was stated by a delegation of the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission in a meeting with Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Chaudhry Muhammad Birjees Tahir here on Monday.

The meeting discussed the overall security situation of the region with particular reference to human rights violations in the Indian-occupied Kashmir. The Federal Minister said that the creation of IPHRC is a matter of great appreciation for OIC which reflects the commitment of OIC to the cause of fundamental Human Rights. The Minster said that Kashmir is an unfinished agenda of partition of the subcontinent and people of IOK have been facing worst kind of violence at the hands of Indian occupying forces since 1947. He said that India is attempting to change the demography of IOK by means of brutal violence and by implementation of over a dozen black laws. He said that in latest wave of violence that started with martyrdom of a Kashmiri youth Burhan Wani, nearly 200 Kashmiris have been martyred and thousands are in critical condition. The Indian forces are relentlessly using pellet guns on peaceful unarmed protesters and have targeted even children aged between five to twelve years with lethal pellets rendering them permanently blind.

The minister said that entire Hurriyet leadership including Syed Ali Gilani and Yasin Malik are either under detention or house arrest and India is denying all Independent human rights organisations an access to Indian occupied Kashmir for hiding information regarding human rights violations in Indian Occupied Kashmir. However, the valiant people of Indian Occupied Kashmir continue to struggle against the Indian Occupation Forces for realization of the right of self determination as promised to them under UNSC resolutions.

The minister said the people of Kashmir have great expectations from OIC and hope that OIC will raise a stronger voice to highlight Indian atrocities and urge the international community to ensure fulfilment of promises made to people of Jammu and Kashmir under UNSC resolutions.