OIC delegation concludes its five-day visit to Pakistan
Islamabad: A delegation of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Monday concluded its five-day visit to Pakistan during which it interacted with the country’s top leadership and also travelled to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
The 12-member delegation of the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) of the OIC also witnessed the human impact of the indiscriminate shelling carried out by Indian security forces across the Line of Control (LoC),” the Foreign Office said here on Monday.
India has asked the OIC to refrain from allowing vested interests to exploit its platform for comments on internal affairs of the country.
“The OIC has no locus standi in matters relating to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India. It is reiterated that the OIC General Secretariat should refrain from allowing vested interests to exploit its platform for comments on internal affairs of India,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said last week.
The FO said a detailed report of the findings of IPHRC will be presented, with concrete recommendations, for the consideration of the next (48th) session of the OIC- Council of Foreign Ministers.
During its stay in Pakistan, the IPHRC delegation met Prime Minister Imran Khan, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood among others.
The delegation also interacted with Kashmiri refugees from across the LoC, leadership of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), Kashmiri civil society and media representatives.
It also visited the LoC and met with the victims of ceasefire violations carried out by Indian security forces, the FO said.
The IPHRC visit coincided with the completion of two years of revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir by India on August 5, 2019.
India’s Parliament abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 on August 5, 2019 and bifurcated it into two Union territories. Pakistan downgraded ties with India and suspended trade.
India has maintained that the issue related to Article 370 of the Indian Constitution was entirely an internal matter of the country.
