India on Wednesday strongly rejected references to Jammu and Kashmir made by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Contact Group, saying the group would be “better advised to counsel Pakistan” instead of offering it a platform.
A statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the grouping has no locus standi to comment on matters that are strictly internal to India. It further described the OIC’s references to Jammu and Kashmir as “unwarranted and factually incorrect”.
“The OIC has no locus standi to pronounce on matters that are strictly internal to India,” the MEA said, reiterating that the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are “integral and inalienable” parts of India.
The statement came after the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir met on the sidelines of the ongoing 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
India questions OIC’s credibility
The MEA said repeated endorsement of what it called “politically motivated propaganda” raised questions about the credibility of the OIC. “Repeated endorsement of such motivated narratives only raises serious questions on the credibility of OIC,” it said.
India also rejected what it described as attempts to alter the status of Jammu and Kashmir through repeated references at international forums.
The OIC Contact Group comprises Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Niger. The group met in New York on Tuesday and reaffirmed its support for what it described as the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.
India asks OIC to counsel Pakistan
In its response, New Delhi also directly hit out at Pakistan, accusing it of using the OIC platform to push what India described as “fabricated and motivated propaganda”.
“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 further accused Pakistan of having a “well-documented record of supporting and sponsoring terrorism” and called on Islamabad to address what it described as the continuing threat of terrorism emanating from territories under its control.
The OIC meeting was also addressed by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who urged OIC members to maintain a unified position on Jammu and Kashmir at the UN and other international forums. He called for the reversal of measures taken by India since August 5, 2019, and sought the release of political prisoners and access for international observers.
