India on Wednesday rejected references to Jammu and Kashmir made by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Contact Group, saying the grouping has no role in commenting on matters that New Delhi considers internal to India.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued the response after the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir met on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
In its statement, the MEA described the OIC’s references to Jammu and Kashmir as “unwarranted and factually incorrect”. It reiterated India’s position that the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral parts of the country.
The ministry also questioned the OIC’s repeated references to the Kashmir issue. According to the MEA, continued endorsement of what it described as “politically motivated propaganda” raises questions about the credibility of the organisation.
The OIC Contact Group comprises Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Niger. During its meeting in New York, the group reaffirmed its support for what it described as the right of the people of Kashmir to self-determination.
India rejected this position and said attempts to raise Jammu and Kashmir at international forums do not alter its stated position on the region.
The MEA also criticised Pakistan’s role in raising the Kashmir issue through the OIC. New Delhi accused Islamabad of using the organisation as a platform for what it described as “fabricated and motivated propaganda”.
The Indian ministry further referred to Pakistan’s record of alleged support for terrorism and called on Islamabad to address what it described as the continuing threat of terrorism from territories under its control.
The OIC meeting was addressed by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. He urged OIC members to maintain a unified position on Jammu and Kashmir at the United Nations and other international forums.
Dar also called for the reversal of measures introduced by India since August 5, 2019, the release of political prisoners and access for international observers.
The latest exchange comes against the backdrop of continuing differences between India and Pakistan over Jammu and Kashmir. India has consistently maintained that Jammu and Kashmir is an internal matter, while Pakistan and the OIC have continued to raise the issue at international forums.
The MEA’s latest statement reiterates New Delhi’s position that outside organisations should not comment on matters it regards as internal to the country.
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