India on Tuesday condemned the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha’s visit to Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and his comment during the visit to Pakistan, Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
“We strongly condemn the visit of the OIC Secretary General to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) and his comments on Jammu and Kashmir during his visit to Pakistan,” Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi replied to the media queries regarding Taha’s visit. He further said, “Let me reiterate that OIC has no locus standing in matters related to Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral and inalienable part of India. Any attempt of interference and meddling in India’s internal affairs by OIC and its Secretary General is entirely unacceptable.”
Regarding OIC, Bagchi said that the organisation had lost its credibility by taking a blatantly communal, partisan and factually incorrect approach to issues. He also said that OIC’s Secretary-General has become a mouthpiece of Pakistan, according to the statement.
India hoped that Taha would refrain from becoming a partner in carrying out the ‘nefarious’ agenda of Pakistan of promoting cross-border terrorism in India, especially in Jammu and Kashmir, Bagchi said.
Earlier, on Monday, OIC General-Secretary met Pakistan’s Prime Minister during his three-day visit starting from December 10 to 12, OIC said in a statement.
Both sides exchanged views on the question of Palestine, humanitarian challenges faced by the people of Afghanistan, and efforts towards countering rising anti-Muslim hatred and Islamophobia across the globe.
The meeting also reviewed aspects of cooperation between OIC and Pakistan, in particular, on the implementation of the resolutions of the Council of Foreign Ministers during ongoing Pakistan’s chairmanship of the Council, according to the statement.
Earlier, on Saturday, Taha held a working session with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. Both sides discussed relations between the OIC and Pakistan as well as issues related to Jammu and Kashmir dispute, Islamophobia and the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
