Qureshi urges OIC to send fact-finding mission to IoK

By News Desk

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Thursday called upon the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to send its fact-finding mission to Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK) to investigate gross human rights violations being perpetrated there.

Speaking at the meeting of OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir in Jeddah, he stressed for an inquiry by OIC’s Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) to look into continuous incidents of extrajudicial killings, detentions and rape by Indian security forces in IoK.

Qureshi’s demand came as he mentioned an earlier report by United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) that called for formation of Commission of Inquiry to objectively analyse the ongoing abuses in IoK and to fix responsibility.

Qureshi said: “We expect the OIC Contact Group to unequivocally reaffirm its abiding support for the Kashmiris and their struggle for self-determination.” He added: “The people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir continue to look up to the OIC and their Muslim brethren for consistent support for achieving their right to self-determination.”

He thanked OIC Secretary General Dr Yousaf Al-Othaimeen for showing solidarity with Kashmiris by convening the meeting of the Contact Group, saying: “Such support is a source of solace and strength for Kashmiris.”

Qureshi noted that February’s Pulwama incident led to an increased frequency of victimisation of Kashmiris by Hindu extremists and deployment of an additional battalion of Indian military with its carte blanche — an unlimited discretionary power — through “Operation All-Out”.

He said IoK witnessed routine crackdowns, detentions, disappearances and killing in fake encounters, adding the year 2018 experienced worst spate of violence with more than 500 innocent Kashmiris killed. He mentioned a 560-page report titled “Torture: Indian State’s Instrument of Control in Indian Administered Jammu and Kashmir” recently released by two IoK-based NGOs, namely Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons and the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society that chronicles how India continues to employ torture as a tactic to silence Kashmiris.

The reports illustrate how every major state institution of India — legislature, executive, judiciary and armed forces — is complicit in crimes against humanity, he added. Though belatedly, the foreign minister said, the world had finally started taking note of the human rights violations in IoK and mentioned the OHCHR report and the UK’s All Parties Parliamentary Kashmir Group that extensively document human rights violations.

Speaking on the occasion, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Masood Khan apprised the Contact Group members of the continued oppressive policies of Indian occupation forces in IoK. He commended the OIC support for the Kashmiri people and for realisation of their right to self-determination.

Foreign Office Spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal in his tweet said the members of the OIC Contact Group expressed their complete solidarity with the valiant struggle of the Kashmiri people and unequivocally condemned the human rights abuses.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu expressed grave concern at the deteriorating situation in IoK and called for resolving the dispute, especially in the wake of recent events.

He said Jammu and Kashmir dispute was the major obstacle in India-Pakistan relations and its humanitarian aspect required urgent attention of the international community. The conclusions of the meeting were adopted and will be submitted for appropriate action to the OIC Council of Foreign Minister.

Separately, Qureshi met with the OIC Secretary General Yousef Al-Othaimeen on the sidelines of the meeting and discussed growing trend of hatred towards Islam and Muslims in different parts of the world.

Qureshi hoped the OIC would initiate necessary process to implement Pakistan’s proposals to combat Islamophobia, as agreed during the emergency OIC meeting in Istanbul earlier this year.