India should be forced to rescind its illegal, unilateral actions in IIOJK: FM Qureshi

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Saturday said India should be forced to rescind its illegal and unilateral actions in Indian Illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and move towards a peaceful settlement of the Kashmir dispute as per the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.

Qureshi made these remarks while addressing the ambassadorial meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir via video link.

The foreign minister commended the brotherly nations of Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Niger for effectively articulating the voice of the Ummah [Muslim community] in solidarity with the oppressed people of IOJK.

“The steadfast and resolute support of the OIC, reaffirmed recently at the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Niamey, is a source of great strength to the Kashmiri people in their just and legitimate struggle for their inalienable right to self-determination,” the foreign minister said.

He stressed that it was important to sustain this momentum whereas a unified political message to India from the OIC would be critical.

Read More: Qureshi writes to UNSC, seeks intervention on Kashmir

“We should forcefully demand India halt its egregious human rights violations against innocent Kashmiris and provide access to human rights organizations in the illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir,” FM Qureshi asserted.

The top diplomat further stressed that under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistan has pursued an intense political and diplomatic campaign on the Kashmir dispute.

Referring to the Indian atrocities, the foreign minister said IIOJK has been shrouded in a veil of darkness in the wake of illegal actions of 5th August 2019.

“The inhuman military siege and communication blockade there has already lasted five hundred and fifty days,” he said adding that IIOJK was the largest open-air prison in the world today.

He maintained that India introduced controversial legislation to change the demographic structure of the occupied territory in violation of international law including the 4th Geneva Convention and the UN Security Council Resolutions.