India Tomorrow

NEW DELHI, JUNE 26—The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said that Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) has no locus standi on internal affairs relating to India, including Jammu and Kashmir.

MEA’s statement came on Thursday after a virtual meeting of OIC Contact Group on Kashmir a few days ago expressed concern over ceasefire violations along Line of Control (LoC) and called on India “to halt security operations against the people of Jammu and Kashmir immediately, respect basic human rights, refrain from changing the demographic structure of the disputed territory, and settle the conflict under the relevant UNSC's resolutions”.

MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, “Our position is consistent on this matter and has no ambiguity. OIC has no locus standi in matters strictly internal to India, including that of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. We have in the past also reiterated that OIC should refrain from making unwarranted references to India”.

OIC secretary general Dr. Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen, who inaugurated the virtual meeting of the Contact Group of OIC on Jammu and Kashmir, stressed the “OIC’s commitment to finding a peaceful settlement for the Jammu and Kashmir issue”.

He also called on the international community “to strengthen its efforts to assist the people of Kashmir to decisively practice their legitimate rights denied for decades”.

The OIC Contact Group also reaffirmed its continued support for the people of Jammu and Kashmir and called on the United Nations Secretary-General “to use his good offices to make India abide by the United Nations Security Council's (UNSC) resolutions and engage in dialogue to calm the situation in the region”.

Those who attended the virtual meeting included foreign ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Niger, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and and the Republic of Turkey.