India on Wednesday rejected the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Contact Group’s latest references to Jammu and Kashmir, saying the group has no role in matters that New Delhi considers internal to India.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued the response after the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir met on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York. The OIC said it continued to support what it described as the Kashmiri people’s right to self determination.
“The OIC has no locus standi to pronounce on matters that are strictly internal to India,” the MEA said.
India also reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are “integral and inalienable” parts of the country.
India Questions OIC’s Position
The MEA described the OIC’s references to Jammu and Kashmir as “unwarranted and factually incorrect”.
It also questioned the credibility of the grouping over what it called repeated support for “politically motivated propaganda”.
“Repeated endorsement of such motivated narratives only raises serious questions on the credibility of OIC,” the ministry said.
The OIC Contact Group meeting was attended by representatives of the organisation’s member states and focused on the Kashmir issue. The OIC’s own statement said its secretary general, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, reaffirmed support for the “inalienable right” of the Kashmiri people to self determination and called for the reversal of measures taken since 2019.
India Tells OIC to ‘Counsel Pakistan’
New Delhi also directly criticised Pakistan for raising the Kashmir issue through the OIC platform.
“Instead of offering a platform to Pakistan to peddle its fabricated and motivated propaganda, OIC will be better advised to counsel Pakistan,” the MEA said.
India also accused Pakistan of having a “well documented record of supporting and sponsoring terrorism” and called on Islamabad to address what New Delhi described as the continuing threat of terrorism from territories under its control.
Ishaq Dar Calls for Unified OIC Position
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar addressed the OIC Contact Group meeting in New York.
Dar urged OIC member states to maintain a unified position on Jammu and Kashmir at the United Nations and other international forums. He called for India to reverse measures taken since August 5, 2019, and also sought the release of political prisoners and access for international observers.
According to Pakistan’s official account of the meeting, Dar also alleged that India was attempting to alter the demographic, political and cultural character of Jammu and Kashmir. He said Pakistan supported a settlement based on relevant UN Security Council resolutions and what he described as the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
The latest exchange comes during the ongoing high level week of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York, where India and Pakistan have continued to present opposing positions on Jammu and Kashmir.
