On Wednesday, Interim Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani warned that the current Indian government is committed to maintaining India’s occupation of Jammu and Kashmir at whatever cost, including the suppression of the “fundamental rights” of the Kashmiri people.
The caretaker minister, along with the Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Special Envoy on Jammu and Kashmir, Yousef Aldobeay, spoke at a press conference in Islamabad, where they both focused on Indian excesses in Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, which have escalated significantly under the current administration in New Delhi.
“The curbs on the fundamental rights and freedoms of the Kashmiri people remain persistent,” Jilani stated. He added that members of the Hurriyat leadership have been “incarcerated arbitrarily,” bringing the total number of jailed political activists and human rights advocates to about 4,000.
Indian authorities have requested the death penalty for Yasin Malik, a leader of the Kashmiri separatist movement who was given a life sentence last year, and Shabbir Ahmed Shah, a member of the separatist movement who has been imprisoned since 2019.
The new chapter of persecution was ushered in by India’s unilateral and unlawful measures on August 5, 2019. Jilani added that these measures were being taken because the ultimate goal was to make the Kashmiri people a powerless minority in their own land, and that the OIC has reinforced its strong support to the Kashmiri people in their righteous struggle.
Jilani added that Pakistan is grateful to the OIC for its unwavering support of the Kashmiri people’s cause and that it is imperative that international resolutions passed on the subject be put into effect in order to find a durable solution.
Meanwhile, the visiting dignitary reaffirmed OIC’s dedication to protecting the rights of the people of Kashmir.
On behalf of the OIC, he called for a reversal of the “illegal steps” taken by the Indian government in August 2019.
Aldobeay reassured the Kashmiri people, “We are with you…support every activity which is your right,” while also praising Pakistan’s efforts to protect the rights of the occupied people.
The two heads of state met in Islamabad the day before the press conference. According to Aldobeay, the OIC delivered a detailed report on the situation in Kashmir.
Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah of Saudi Arabia warned that leaving the Kashmir issue unresolved would contribute to instability in the region in September at a meeting of the OIC held on the sidelines of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Ministers from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation met on Wednesday, and according to a statement released by the OIC Contact Group, they urged the international community to “intensify its efforts to settle the issue of Jammu and Kashmir” in accordance with relevant resolutions passed by the United Nations Security Council.
It called for the dropping of all baseless charges against the Kashmiri leadership and the abolition of all repressive legislation in order to free all political prisoners in the region of Kashmir.
