India’s Ministry of External Affairs has strongly castigated the resolutions concerning Kashmir by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and termed them “misleading”. India’s Ministry of External Affairs has said that OIC has no say whatsoever in the internal matters of the country.
Sushma Swaraj, India’s External Affairs Minister NDTV
In its recent meeting, which was the 44th foreign ministers meeting of the OIC, chaired by OIC secretary general Yousef A Al-Othaimeen, the outfit adopted a resolution that the issue of Kashmir would be resolved according to the aspirations of the people of Kashmir and United Nations Security Council resolutions. The resolution also noted that the issue of Kashmir is the core dispute between India and Pakistan and resolving it is essential to bring peace in South Asia.
According to a report by IndiaTV News, the OIC has also urged the United Nations and the international community to end the “continued bloodshed” in Kashmir.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation is a 57-member international organization that touts of being “the collective voice of the Muslim world” and working to “safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony”. Some of the member nations of the OIC are Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Turkey and UAE.
The secretary general of the OIC has, reportedly, reassured continued support to the people of Kashmir in “their struggle for the realization of their right to self-determination”.
Sartaj Aziz, Pakistan Prime Minister’s adviser on foreign affairs was also present at the meeting and pointed out the “Indian atrocities” going on in the valley of Kashmir after Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani was killed on July 8, 2016.
However, Indian government has firmly rejected all the claims of “the continued terrorism by India” and “gross violations of human rights” in Kashmir and has asked OIC to refrain from making such inappropriate statements in future. The Times of India quotes India’s Ministry of External Affairs, in its official statement saying,
India notes with utmost regret that the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC), during its 44th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers held in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire on 10-11 July 2017, has again adopted certain resolutions which contain factually incorrect and misleading references to matters internal to India, including the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India. India out rightly rejects all such references. The OIC has no locus standi on India’s internal affairs. We strongly advise the OIC to refrain from making such references in future.