PM urges OIC, world to take notice of IIOJK

12-member delegation calls for improving situation in occupied territory

ISLAMABAD:

Describing the situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and Palestine as a “huge injustice of history,” Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said it was important for the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the world to take steps to correct it.

The premier said this while talking to a delegation of the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) led by its chair Dr Saeed Al Ghufli that called on him here.

He expressed grave concern about the egregious violations of human rights in IIOJK, which had assumed alarming proportions over the last two years.

The prime minister shared his deep anguish over the hardships being endured by the people of occupied territory, especially since August 5, 2019, when India took “illegal and unilateral” measures in IIOJK.

“The people of IIOJK, demanding their inalienable right to self-determination promised to them under numerous United Nations Security Council resolutions, are being brazenly brutalised, extra-judicially killed, injured, maimed, tortured and arbitrarily detained,” PM Imran said.

The use of pellet guns, he said, had resulted in mass blinding of the Kashmiri youth. “However, despite using every single tool of oppression, India has failed to break the will of the Kashmiri people,” he added.

Dilating upon the Indian regime’s ‘Hindutva’ ideology, PM Imran claimed that the Kashmiri Muslims were being targeted in order to suppress their demand for freedom from Indian occupation and repression.

He underscored that the Muslims in IIOJK were being denied their fundamental right to self-determination as well as freedom of religion or belief.

“The Kashmiri Muslims risk losing their majority and distinct identity due to the demographic changes being effected in the occupied territory, which was in violation of the 4th Geneva Convention and tantamount to war crimes,” he added.

The premier appreciated the work of IPHRC in highlighting India’s human rights abuses in IIOJK. He recalled that as an independent expert body, IPHRC’s views were based on facts and grim realities existing on the ground.

The IIOJK people were thankful to the commission for understanding their plight and bringing it to the attention of OIC and the international community, he added.

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The prime minister said: “The strong unified voice of OIC is a vital element in the advancement of Muslim causes.”

He reiterated the urgent need for the reversal of all unilateral steps taken by India on and after August 5, 2019, along with an immediate end to the human rights violations in the IIOJK.

The prime minister also spoke about rising Islamophobia and stressed the need for the Ummah to make collective endeavours to counter the scourge.

The 12-member delegation also attended a briefing at the foreign affairs ministry. It stressed the need for “immediately” improving the human rights situation in IIOJK.

“The OIC IPHRC delegation particularly underscored the need for immediately improving the human rights situation in the territory under Indian occupation and just resolution of Jammu & Kashmir dispute in accordance with UNSC resolutions,” according to the Foreign Office.

The briefing was held by Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood. He briefed the delegation on the deteriorating situation in IIOJK.

He also highlighted the legal, humanitarian, 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 UNSC resolutions on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.

The delegation will also visit the Line of Control (LoC) to monitor the on-ground situation, the FO said.

“During the visit, the IPHRC delegation will travel to Muzaffarabad and the Line of Control, and interact with Kashmiri leadership, refugees from IIOJK and victims of Indian atrocities,” the Foreign Office said in a statement.