OIC On Jammu & Kashmir

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) supports the legitimate and just struggle of the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu&Kashmir (IIOJ&K) for their inalienable right to self-determination, and continues to call for protection and promotion of all basic human rights and freedoms of the Kashmiri people against India’s state terrorism. The Organization is staunch advocate of expeditious and peaceful settlement of the dispute in accordance with the UN Charter, relevant UNSC and OIC resolutions and international law. The OIC’s unequivocal position on both human rights as well as peace and security dimensions of the dispute is embodied in its numerous declarations, decisions, and resolutions adopted by the Islamic Summits and Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) as well as in the statements/press releases issued by the OIC and its human rights body, the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC).

The Contact Group on Jammu & Kashmir, which was established in 1994 to voice the Organization’s position and coordinate joint actions on the dispute, is another OIC platform which closely monitors and articulates concerns over the evolving, worrisome developments in IIOJ&K. Since India’s unlawful actions of 05th August 2019, the OIC and IPHRC has strongly condemned unilateral steps being taken to alter the demography of the UN-recognized disputed territory and reaffirmed OIC’s steadfast support to the Kashmir cause. The OIC Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Kashmir visited Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir in March 2020 to reaffirm OIC’s support and solidarity with the Kashmiri people and acquire first-hand information on the situation along the Line of Control.

Under its Standing Mechanism to monitor human rights situation in IIOJ&K, the IPHRC also held an unprecedented ‘Open Discussion’ on the worsening situation in the occupied territory in November 2019.

In compliance with the mandate provided by the CFM to assess the deteriorating human rights situation in IIOJ&K, the IPHRC undertook a 5-day visit to Pakistan and AJK in August 2021. Aim of the visit was to investigate and report on the human rights and humanitarian situation in IIOJ&K and to make recommendations for the promotion and protection of Kashmiris’ basic rights including their inalienable right to self-determination, guaranteed by numerous Security Council resolutions. Earlier, IPHRC had visited Pakistan and AJK in March 2017. Despite its false claims of ‘normalcy’ in IIOJ&K, India continues to deny access to IPHRC and other human rights organizations to the occupied territory.

OIC Resolutions

The OIC has been regularly adopting Resolutions on the Jammu & Kashmir dispute at its Summit and Ministerial meetings. The last (47th) session of the Council of Foreign Ministers, which was held in Niamey from 27-28 November 2020, also adopted a comprehensive RESOLUTION (no. 10/47-POL) on Kashmir, which reaffirmed OIC’s principled position on the dispute and firmly rejected India’s illegal and unilateral actions being taken since 05th August 2019 to effect change in the demographic structure of the occupied territory, in contravention of the UN Charter, relevant UNSC resolutions and international law, especially 4th Geneva Convention.

OIC Communiqués

In wake of India’s unlawful actions of 05 August 2019, the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir met thrice on 06 August 2019, 25 September 2019, 22 June 2020 and 23 September 2021. As outcome of the Contact Group’s meetings held in September 2019, June 2020, and September 2021, three separate joint Communiqués had been issued, which, inter alia, express deep concerns over the worsening human rights and humanitarian situation in IIOJ&K since 05th August and categorically reject India’s illegal and unilateral moves to change demography of the disputed territory. These Communiqués have also called on India to rescind its illegal actions; stop any move towards changing demographic structure of IIOJ&K; halt its human rights violations; allow the Kashmiri people to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination and provide unhindered access to the UN and the OIC fact-finding missions.

Press Statements

04 August 2019: Oic Expresses Concern About The Deteriorating Situation In Jammu And Kashmir

14 August 2019: Oic Calls For The Protection Of Religious Rights Of The People Of Jammu And Kashmir

16 August 2019: Oic Calls For Peaceful Settlement Of Kashmir Dispute

31 August 2019: Oic Reaffirms The Internationally Recognized Status Of Jammu And Kashmir Dispute

25 September 2019: Oic Calls On The International Community To Expedite Assistance To The People Of Jammu And Kashmir31 August 2019: Oic Reaffirms The Internationally Recognized Status Of Jammu And Kashmir Dispute

04 April 2020: OIC rejects attempts to illegally change Jammu & Kashmir demography

20 May 2020: OIC Stresses the Importance of Complying with UN Security Council Resolutions and Allowing No Changes to the Demographic Composition of Jammu and Kashmir

04 August 2020: Oic Urges Again For Abstention From Changing The Demographic Composition Of Jammu And Kashmir

05 August 2021: Oic Reiterates Its Call To Rescind The Steps Taken To Alter The Internationally Recognized Status Of Jammu & Kashmir

Press statements by OIC-IPHRC

14 August 2019: Oic-iphrc Strongly Condemns The Ongoing Security Clampdown, Communications Blockade And Denial Of Religious Freedoms To The Kashmiris In Indian Occupied Kashmir (Iok)

03 September 2019: Oic-iphrc Strongly Condemns The Continuation Of Inhuman Curfew And Communication Blackout In Indian Occupied Kashmir And Calls For Immediate Restoration Of Civil Liberties

28 November 2019: Oic-iphrc Appalled By The Unending Inhuman Blockade In The Indian Occupied Kashmir03 September 2019: Oic-iphrc Strongly Condemns The Continuation Of Inhuman Curfew And Communication Blackout In Indian Occupied Kashmir And Calls For Immediate Restoration Of Civil Liberties

19 May 2019: Oic-iphrc Squarely Rejects The Indian Government’s Illegal Actions To Alter The Demographic Status Of Ioj&k As Violative Of Oic And Un Security Council Resolutions And International Human Rights/humanitarian Laws

05 August 2020: OIC Human Rights Commission strongly condemns the year-long inhuman security and communication blockade in IOJ&K and calls upon India to ensure the protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Kashmiris as well as to ensure implementation of the relevant UN and OIC resolutions

15 November 2020: Oic-iphrc Strongly Condemns And Rejects The Indian Government’s Illegal Attempts To Amend Landowning Laws In Indian Occupied Jammu And Kashmir (Ioj&k) As Violative Of International Human Rights And Humanitarian Laws

04 January 2021: Oic-iphrc Expressed Deep Concerns Over The Illegal Incarceration Of Kashmiri Human Rights Defenders By The Indian Authorities And Calls Upon The United Nations, The Oic Member States And The International Community To Seek Their Immediate Release Including All Political Prisoners In Indian Occupied Jammu And Kashmir (Ioj&k)

On 2nd March 2023, the Secretary General OIC during this address at the High-Level Segment, stated that OIC followed with concern what was happening in Jammu and Kashmir and called upon for implementation of the relevant UNSC resolutions.

On March 16, 2023 Secretary-General OIC at the 49th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers stated that the OIC was committed to defending the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. The General Secretariat and the Special Envoy for Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Yusef Aldobeay, continued implementing the action plan adopted by the Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir during its meeting in Islamabad on the sidelines of the CFM 48th Session.