Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has returned from a visit to the African nation of Niger to attend the OIC Council of Foreign Minister’s meeting. After two days of deliberations, the 57-member bloc came up with a declaration calling on India to rescind all illegal actions in occupied Kashmir.
Pakistan has hailed the declaration as a triumph and a manifestation that it is being heard. For more than a year, Pakistan has been demanding a separate meeting on Kashmir ever since India annexed the restive territory. The OIC was reluctant to hold one due to vested interests with India’s and Pakistan’s relations with Gulf nations plummeted exacerbated by growing ties with Israel.
At the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Niamey, it was being reported that Kashmir was not even on the agenda. According to the Foreign Office, the OIC unanimously approved a declaration reiterating “strong and unequivocal support” for the Kashmir dispute and “categorically rejected illegal and unilateral actions taken by India”.
The OIC has previously condemned human rights violations in Kashmir, annexation by India and the newly-introduced domicile laws that allow non-Kashmiris to take jobs and buy property in the region. However, the OIC has never deterred India from carrying out its actions in the region. India claims that the group has no locus standi on Kashmir and often rejects the statements.
It is a welcome sign that the OIC has finally woken from its deep slumber to call out India. However, mere statements and declarations are insufficient and more concrete efforts are required. Pakistan wants to reverse the illegal actions in Kashmir as it has altered regional demography and could lead to new conflicts. The OIC declaration has urged the international community to evaluate ties with India and include the Kashmiris in the peace process.
Other items on the OIC agenda included Islamophobia and the plight of Muslim minorities in non-member states. Pakistan passed a resolution calling for a global day against Islamophobia which is necessary due to increasing incident blasphemous incident in European countries.
The member states also decided to hold further talks on the Kashmir dispute in OIC’s foreign minister’s session in Islamabad next year. This is another diplomatic victory for Pakistan but it is essential that the global body not only condemns India but takes some serious action.
