The Foreign Affairs Ministers of the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir met under chair of OIC secretary general on the sidelines of the 74th session of UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, stated the Draft Communiqué which was also released by Foreign Office here.
"Having heard a detailed briefing from the foreign minister of Pakistan over the recent developments in Indian-occupied Jammu & Kashmir, the ministerial meeting reaffirmed the OIC position and resolutions on the Jammu & Kashmir dispute and expressed deep concern over the worsening human rights and humanitarian situation in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K) as a result of Indian actions of 5 August 2019."
It noted the statement by Pakistan of 5 August rejecting these illegal and unilateral actions and welcomed the statement issued by the UN Secretary General of 8th August affirming that the UN's on the issue of Jammu & Kashmir region is governed by the UN Charter, applicable UN Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreements.
It also welcomed the UN Security Council meeting held on 16th August in response to Pakistan's request to consider the situation arising from Indian actions and affirmed that these are inconsistent with international law, applicable UN Security Council resolutions and India's own solemn commitments to implement the UNSC resolutions.
The OIC Contact Group expressed grave concerns that Indian actions aim to change the identity and demographic composition of the occupied Jammu and Kashmir and to transform it from Muslim-majority state into Hindu-majority territory.
It also welcomed the two reports issued by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in June 2018 and July 2019 comprehensively documenting the gross and systematic violations of human rights in Indian-occupied Jammu & Kashmir.
It deplored the extended months long lockdown of the Kashmiri people, round-the-clock curfew and complete communications blackout in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, and suppression of Kashmiris protestors who demand freedom from Indian occupation.
It expressed serious concerns over the arbitrary detention and arrest of thousands of people including Kashmiri leadership, professionals and peaceful demonstrators and their transportation to prisons and detention centres outside Jammu & Kashmir. Deploring the indiscriminate use of force, live ammunition and use of pellet guns against unarmed protestors, it noted with deep concern that the suffering of the Kashmiri people has been exacerbated by lack of access to hospitals, medicines including lifesaving drugs and food supplies.
It expressed deep concern at reports of abduction of young boys and their subjection to torture and inhuman and degrading treatment, and regretted that India has not allowed the OIC, IPHRC and UN's fact finding missions to visit Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
It also denounced attempts to equate the legitimate struggle of the Kashmiri people for liberation from foreign occupation and their right of self-determination, with terrorism.
Having considered the aforementioned grave developments, the ministerial meeting reaffirmed its support for the legitimate struggle of the Kashmiri people for realisation of their inalienable right to self-determination and freedom from Indian occupation.
The ministerial meeting further reaffirmed that the Jammu & Kashmir is an internationally recognised dispute as recognised by the UN Security Council resolutions and the UN Secretary General.
The ministerial meeting called on the Human Rights Council to accept and implement the recommendations of UN OHCHR to establish an inquiry commission to investigate human rights violations in Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir.
It called on India to allow full and free access to the OIC, IPHRC and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, to Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir in order to independently investigate reports of the gross and systematic human rights violations taking place there.
It declared that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is the core issue between Pakistan and India and its final settlement, in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions and a UN supervised plebiscite, is indispensable for durable peace and stability in South Asia and beyond. The ministerial meeting demanded that India: rescind its unilateral illegal actions and reiterate its commitment to abide by the relevant UN Security Council resolutions; provide solemn assurances that it will not change the occupied territory's demographic composition and not allow non-Kashmiris to acquire property or residency in Jammu and Kashmir; halt its human rights violations in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, including the use of force against peaceful demonstrators, especially the use of pellet guns, lift the curfew, allow peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, release all political prisoners, activists and abducted youth; repeal its draconian emergency laws, and withdraw its heavy military presence from Kashmiri cities, towns and villages; and provide unhindered access to occupied Jammu and Kashmir to human rights organisations and international media to ascertain and report on the situation in the occupied territory.
It also directed their respective Permanent Representatives in New York and Geneva to periodically brief the UN secretary general, presidents of the UN General Assembly and UN Security Council, president of the Human Rights Council and High Commissioner for Human Rights on the evolving developments in Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir.
It also requested the OIC secretary general to send a copy of this communiqué to the UN secretary general and present a report on the situation in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir to the Annual Coordination Meeting of the OIC Foreign Ministers being held on the sidelines of the 74th session of UNGA in New York on 27 September.