The Muslim world has strongly condemned the ongoing killing of unarmed innocent civilians by occupation forces in Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK) as a “wicked terrorist act”.
The condemnation from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the collective voice of the Muslim world, came on Monday – two days after Indian forces massacred eight civilians and injured dozens of others following a gunfight with freedom fighters in Pulwama district of the occupied valley.
Appalled by the mindless killing spree of Indian forces, Kashmiri politicians sent out an “SOS to humanity”, triggering a call from Pakistan to the international community to play its role in putting an end to Indian barbarianism.
#OIC General Secretariat expressed strong condemnation of the killing of innocent Kashmiris by #Indian forces in Indian-occupied #Kashmir (#IOK) where direct shooting at demonstrators in Pulwama region claimed the lives of a number of innocent citizens: https://t.co/vHbpWj4Xby
— OIC (@OIC_OCI) December 16, 2018
OIC’s General Secretariat “expressed strong condemnation of the killing of innocent Kashmiris by Indian forces in Indian-occupied Kashmir (IOK) where direct shooting at demonstrators in Pulwama region claimed the lives of a number of innocent citizens and injured others”.
In a statement posted on its website, the OIC General Secretariat “called upon the international community to play its role in order to reach a just and lasting solution to the conflict in Kashmir, in accordance with the relevant international resolutions adopted by the OIC and the UN Security Council, and fulfill the aspirations of the Kashmiri people”.
“The General Secretariat expressed condolences to the families of the innocent victims who lost their lives as a result of this wicked terrorist act and wished the wounded prompt recovery,” it added in the statement.
Earlier, in another belligerent, Indian army chief General Bipin Rawat said that Kashmiri stone-pelters are “ground workers of terrorists” and they should be dealt with sternly. Remarks such as these paint over the experience of those suffering the state terrorism in the Indian Occupied Kashmir. By branding people’s led resistance against the occupation as systematic terrorism, India ignores the voice and grievances of the Kashmiri population.
But what has been Pakistan’s role in bringing international attention to the Kashmir Conflict?
Pakistan has always viewed the issue through a lens of monolith: blaming India. No doubt that an oppressive occupation ought to be blamed but the way Pakistan has consistently only taken one approach to this issue is tragic. Pakistan uses the Kashmir issue to malign the image of “Rising India’ on international platforms.
Instead of giving a voice to the Kashmiri people and putting their issues and objectives at the helm of the Kashmir policy, Pakistan has always prioritized its own geo-political interests.
Both countries, India and Pakistan, use each others human rights abuse as a defence and justification of their own abuse of power. Whenever the issue of Kashimir is raised from the Pakistani diplomatic mission, India without fail replies with a “but what about state abuse in Balochistan?” and both parties knowing they are guilty drop the issues. If these few lines are used to sum up our half hearted policy on Kashmir, it would not be much of an exaggeration.
As sad as it may be, it might be time for the Kashmiri people to recognize that Pakistani governments would not be of much help beyond empty words and hollow condolences.
