ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday describing the situation in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) and Palestine as a “huge injustice of history” said it was important for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and world to take steps to correct it.
The Prime Minister expressed these views while talking to a delegation of the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC), which led by its Chair Dr. Saeed Al-Ghufli called on him here. He expressed grave concern on the egregious violations of human rights in J&K, which have assumed alarming proportions during the last two years.
The Prime Minister shared his deep anguish over the hardships and suffering being endured by the people of the occupied territory, especially since 5 August 2019 when Indian took illegal and unilateral measures in J&K.
He added that the people of J&K, demanding their inalienable right to self-determination promised to them under numerous UN Security Council resolutions, were being brazenly brutalized, extra-judicially killed, injured, maimed, tortured and arbitrarily detained.
The indiscriminate use of pallet guns had resulted in mass blinding of Kashmiri youth. However, despite using every single tool of oppression, India had failed to break the will of the Kashmiri people, he added.
Dilating upon the Indian regime’s “Hindutva” ideology, the Prime Minister emphasized that Kashmiri Muslims were being targeted in order to suppress their demand for freedom from Indian occupation and repression.
He underscored that Muslims in J&K were being denied their fundamental right to self-determination as well as freedom of religion or belief.
The Kashmiri Muslims risked losing their majority and distinct identity due to the demographic changes being affected in the occupied territory, which was in violation of the 4th Geneva Convention and tantamount to war crimes, he added.
The Prime Minister appreciated the work of IPHRC in highlighting India’s gross, systematic and widespread human rights abuses in J&K. He recalled that, as an independent expert body, IPHRC’s views were based on facts and the grim realities existing on the ground. The people of J&K were thankful to the Commission for understanding their plight and bringing it to the attention of OIC and the international community, he added.
The Prime Minister underlined that the strong unified voice of OIC was a vital element in the advancement of Muslim causes. He reiterated the urgent need for the reversal of all illegal and unilateral steps taken by India on and after 5 August 2019 along with an immediate end to the human rights violations in J&K.
The Prime Minister also spoke about rising Islamophobia and stressed the need for the Muslim Ummah to make collective endeavours to counter this scourge.
Meeting at Foreign Office
A 12-member delegation of the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Thursday underscored the need to immediately improve the human rights situation in the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
“The OIS IPHRC delegation particularly underscored the need to immediately improve the human rights situation in the territory under Indian occupation and just resolution of Jammu & Kashmir dispute in accordance with UNSC Resolutions,” the Foreign Office said.
In a briefing held by Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood here at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the delegation called for just resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.
The foreign secretary briefed the delegation on the deteriorating situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He also highlighted the legal, humanitarian, and peace and security dimensions of the lingering Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
The visit of IPHRC delegation from August 4 to 9 coincides with the completion of two years of India’s illegal steps of 5 August 2019, which it had taken in flagrant violation of UN Security Council Resolutions on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
Meeting with Gandapur
OIC Human Rights Commission has called for improving the human rights situation in J&K. The call was made at a meeting between Minister for Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan Affairs Ali Amin Khan Gandapur and a delegation of OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission here on Friday.
The commission emphasized for resolution of the Kashmir dispute as per the UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. The Minister apprised the OIC Human Rights Commission delegation of the grave human rights situation in IIOJK. He also briefed them about the legal and human rights aspects of the dispute as well as peace and security in the region.
He informed the delegation that India has barred international human rights organizations and media from entering into the J&K. Appreciating the role of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Gandapur underscored the need for unity of Muslim Ummah to face challenges like Kashmir and Palestine.