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ISLAMABAD: The OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir comprising Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan, Niger and representative of the OIC Secretary General met under the Chairmanship of Iran during the 60th Session of the Commission on Human Rights in Geneva on Tuesday.

The Representative of Sudan also attended the meeting as the Contact Group reaffirmed Muslim worlds' support to the Kashmiris struggle for the right to self-determination.

Lauds Ceasefire

The Group expressed appreciation for Pakistan for its unilateral ceasefire along the Line of Control that has been subsequently observed by both parties.

The Group also welcomed the appointment of the Special Representative of the OIC Secretary General on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and urged him to continue his endeavours to visit the Indian held Kashmir.

Calls for End of HR Violations

The Group called for an immediate end to the gross and consistent violations of human rights and called for grant of access to international human rights bodies, the special mechanisms of CHR and international media in Jammu and Kashmir to regularly monitor the human rights situation.

The Group rejected any attempt to denigrate the Kashmiri people's valiant struggle for self-determination as terrorism and recognized that elections in Jammu and Kashmir were no substitute to the UN administered plebiscite for enabling the people of Jammu and Kashmir to realize their just right.

Roadmap

The Contact Group welcomed the January 06 Joint Statement between Pakistan and India which chalks out roadmap for composite dialogue on all issues including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and expressed hope that Pakistan-India composite talks would pave way for a just settlement of Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the legitimate aspiration of the Kashmiri people and their inalienable right to self-determination as granted in the United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Memorandum

The Meeting took note of the Memorandum presented by the True Representatives of the Kashmiri people to the OIC Contact Group and decided to transmit it along with the Statement adopted at the meeting to the 60th Session of the Commission on Human Rights to be adopted and circulated as official document.

The representatives of the Kashmiri people from both sides of the LoC also addressed the Contact Group meeting.

Custodial Killings

They condemned the unabated violations of the human rights in Indian occupied Kashmir, the extrajudicial killing of over 85,000 Kashmiris, rape and molestation of Kashmiri women, enforced disappearances of over 100,000 Kashmiris and routine use of worst forms of torture against people held in custody.

They also condemned that behind smokescreen of dialogue, the Indian forces had continued massacre of civilians and their use as human shields, construction of fence, its electrification and laying of mines along LOC and incarceration of political leaders and impunity of India soldiers under draconian laws.

Call for Sincerity

They appealed the Contact Group to pressure India to demonstrate sincerity to composite dialogue by ending repression in Kashmir, withdrawal of its troops, and accepting centrality of Kashmir dispute and its early resolution in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmir people.