Daily Times

The OIC Council of Foreign Ministers discussed a wide range of issues confronting the Muslim world with particular focus on combating Islamophobia, Palestine and the Jammu & Kashmir dispute during the 47th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation held in Niamey, Niger on 27-28 November 2020.

The Council of Foreign Ministers unanimously adopted a Resolution on Jammu and Kashmir reaffirming the OIC’s consistent and principled stance on the dispute.

Through the comprehensive and strongly worded Resolution, the OIC:

• Rejected the illegal and unilateral actions by India on August 5, 2019 and demanded that India rescind its illegal steps;
• Deplored the state-sponsored terrorism and crimes against humanity by Indian occupation forces against the people of IIOJK;
• Denounced the renewed use of pellet guns by Indian occupation forces against innocent civilians;
• Urged India to adhere to its international human rights obligations and allow the OIC Special Representative on Jammu and Kashmir and the OIC fact-finding mission to visit IIOJK;
• Strongly urged India to implement recommendations of the two Reports of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Jammu & Kashmir;
• Urged international community to review their engagements with India, the occupying power, as it is violating and disregarding international law and international resolutions;
• Emphasized that the question of Jammu and Kashmir is of utmost importance for the Muslim Ummah;
• Reaffirmed that the final disposition of the State of Jammu & Kashmir will be in accordance with the will of the people, expressed through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite, conducted under the auspices of the United Nations;

The Niamey Declaration, adopted at the conclusion of the CFM, also explicitly reiterated “the OIC’s principled position on the Jammu and Kashmir for a peaceful resolution of the dispute in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.”

The Jammu and Kashmir dispute was also included in the Niamey Declaration. Since the declaration is being regarded as an important part of the CFM’s outcome documents, it symbolizes yet another manifestation of OIC’s consistent support to the Kashmir cause.

Notably, the Council of Foreign Ministers also unanimously adopted the Pakistan-sponsored resolution regarding Islamophobia.

The Resolution expresses deep concern at the recent incidents of desecration of the Holy Quran and reprinting of caricatures of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H.), which hurt sentiments of more than 1.8 billion Muslims around the world.

The Resolution also decides to designate 15th March as the “International Day to Combat Islamophobia” each year.

Pakistan also welcomed the adoption of other resolutions by the CFM, including Resolution on Destruction of the Babri Masjid in India and Protection of Islamic Holy Places; Resolution on Safeguarding the Rights of Muslim Communities and Minorities in non-OIC States; and Resolution on Maintenance and Promotion of Regional Peace and Security in South Asia.

At the 47th Session of the CFM it was also decided that Pakistan will host the 48th Session of CFM in 2021.

The foreign office stated that Pakistan stands ready to constructively engage with the entire OIC membership to promote unity, peace and prosperity among the Muslim Ummah.

He further maintained that Pakistan strongly rejects the Indian Ministry of External Affairs statement in this regard as untenable and uncalled-for.

It is pertinent to mention that the OIC Resolution is yet another forceful repudiation of India’s completely flimsy and legally flawed contention that Jammu and Kashmir is its ‘internal’ matter.

The Resolution is further proof that India can neither hide its gross and systemic violations of human rights of the Kashmiri people nor can it escape international censure of its egregious behavior.

Rather than dismissing the international community’s concerns as reflected in the OIC Resolution, India would be well-advised to stop its state-terrorism in IIOJK and take concrete steps towards resolution of the Jammu & Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.top