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ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office on Friday rejected the “totally untenable and irresponsible” statement by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) over the recently-concluded Organization of Islamic Cooperation Council of Foreign Ministers (OIC-CFM) in Islamabad.
The Indian MEA said that the references made to India at the OIC meeting are based on “falsehoods and misrepresentation”. Pakistan took sharp exception and said the the Indian MEA’s statement is “devoid of any logic or substance” and reflects the frustration of a country that stands exposed and isolated.
“Instead of denying the historical facts and realities, attempting to mislead the international community through fictional claims over the disputed territory, and dismissing valid concerns as reflected in the OIC resolutions, India would be well-advised to pay heed, review its current behavior, and act responsibly to urgently address those concerns,” it said in strongly-worded statement.
The Foreign office said the OIC is the collective voice of the Muslim Ummah and the second largest international organization after the United Nations with 57 members and 6 observer states.
“The OIC has a long-standing principled position in support of the legitimate struggle of the Kashmiri people for their right to self-determination granted to them by the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council,” it added,
The statement said that India has refused to implement the UNSC resolutions and for decades tried to suppress the voice of the Kashmiris through brutal and indiscriminate use of force and gross and systematic violations of human rights in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
“Besides, the ascendant BJP-RSS inspired “Hindutva” ideology has restricted the space for minorities, especially Muslims, whose persecution under state patronage has become a norm in today’s India,” it added.
The OIC has accordingly condemned massive human rights abuses in IIOJK, and has once again firmly rejected India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019 and subsequent steps aimed at altering the demographic composition of the occupied territory.
The OIC has also denounced the blatant and widespread discrimination, intolerance and violence against Muslims in India, and called upon India to ensure their rights including religious freedom. The OIC has also expressed grave concern over the incident of 9 March 2022, involving a supersonic missile launched into the territory of Pakistan from India.
