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Islamabad: The acting chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party, Mehmood Ahmed Saghar, has called on the Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Hissein Brahim Taha, to intervene in preventing India from conducting what he termed as sham elections in the occupied territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Saghar, in his letter to the OIC Secretary General, delineated the Indian government’s attempts to portray a semblance of normalcy in Kashmir through these elections, despite the severe human rights issues plaguing the region. He pointed out that the elections are conducted amidst the heavy deployment of troops, leading to a spate of human rights abuses including the use of excessive force, arbitrary detentions, and enforced disappearances.
Furthermore, Saghar implored the OIC to leverage its influence to aid in the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir conflict. He stressed the importance of respecting the Kashmiri populace’s basic human rights and ensuring their voices are heard. Saghar maintained that the conduct of elections is no substitute for the Kashmiris’ right to a UN-supervised plebiscite or referendum, which he argued is the only legitimate method to ascertain the will of the people.
The letter emphasizes the urgency for the OIC to act promptly to thwart India’s efforts to mislead the international community and to actively engage in fostering a peaceful resolution to the longstanding dispute over Jammu and Kashmir.
Source: Kashmir Media Service
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