RIYADH: The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) on Wednesday rejected India’s new domicile law in Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IOK), calling it a violation of the UNSC resolutions.
In April last, New Delhi notified a new contentious law, Jammu and Kashmir Grant of Domicile Certificate (Procedure), which allows non-locals to seek permanent residence in the disputed region. Under the new law, eligible non-locals, along with people who have lived in the held territory for 15 years, or studied there for seven years and appeared in class 10th or 12th examinations in a local school, can apply for the certificate. The rules were formally notified on Monday.
The notification elicited a strong reaction from Islamabad which said the rules were “in clear violation of the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, international laws, including the Fourth Geneva Convention, and bilateral agreements between Pakistan and India”.
Reacting to the development, the OIC body urged the United Nations and the international community to put pressure on the Indian government to curb its illegal activities in held Kashmir.
“The international community must ensure implementation of UN Security Council and OIC’s resolutions in Occupied Kashmir,” the IPHRC in a press release.
“OIC strongly condemns the new domicile law in occupied Kashmir.”
The commission added that India was taking such illegal steps at a time when the world was battling the coronavirus pandemic.
“India seeks to alter Muslim-majority demographic structure in Occupied Kashmir,” the commission stated. “The Kashmiri people have strongly condemned this illegal move in the past too,” the OIC further observed.
Separately, taking to Twitter, Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said that Pakistan welcomes the statement.
The statement further notes that since 5 Aug 2019, India,despite widespread int’l condemnation from @UN, @OIC_OCI & other human rights bodies, continues to pursue systematic persecution of Kashmiri Muslims through vicious political, economic & communication blockade in IoJ&K. 2/2
— Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) May 20, 2020
