Kashmir Issue Highlighted at UNGA: OIC Meeting in New York

A significant meeting concerning the Kashmir issue took place in New York during the United Nations General Assembly. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Contact Group on Kashmir convened, bringing together Foreign Ministers and senior officials from Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Niger. Chaired by OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha, the meeting also included a Kashmiri delegation. The discussions centered on the political and security dynamics within Jammu and Kashmir, with a particular emphasis on the human rights situation. Pakistan’s representative, Tariq Fatemi, highlighted the crucial link between resolving the Kashmir dispute and achieving enduring peace in South Asia, urging the OIC to pressure India constructively while calling for the release of political prisoners. The OIC welcomed the recent ceasefire between India and Pakistan and recognized the ongoing mediation efforts. The organization expressed its view that lasting peace in the region is contingent upon a resolution to the Kashmir issue, while also acknowledging the potential impact of inflammatory rhetoric from regional leaders. The OIC voiced concern regarding the extensive arrests of political and human rights activists, as well as restrictions on religious gatherings in Srinagar, specifically at the Jamia Masjid and Eidgah. The organization reaffirmed its disapproval of the Indian government’s actions on August 5, 2019, including the resulting demographic changes, and asserted that elections in Kashmir cannot supplant the right to self-determination. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking at the UNGA in New York, once again underscored the need for dialogue between India and Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir issue, suggesting that the UN Security Council should play a supportive role. India maintains that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is an internal affair.