The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has once again criticised India over Jammu and Kashmir, calling for the region’s “right to self-determination”, while notably remaining silent on the widespread unrest and human rights violations in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

In a statement released from Jeddah, the OIC General Secretariat reiterated what it termed as “full solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir in their legitimate quest for fundamental rights.” The OIC also urged India to “respect the human rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir” and called for the issue’s resolution in accordance with “relevant UN Security Council resolutions.”

However, the OIC has been widely criticised for failing to acknowledge ongoing violence and human rights abuses in PoK. Recent reports indicate that Pakistani forces opened fire on demonstrators demanding affordable food and electricity in Muzaffarabad, Dheerkot, Rawalakot and Mirpur, killing at least ten and injuring over a hundred. The OIC has issued no statement on the incident.

This silence from the OIC coincides with ongoing criticism from international observers over what they describe as the body’s selective outrage and muted response to atrocities in regions under Pakistan’s control.

European writer and West Asia expert Michael Arizanti sharply criticised both the OIC and Arab states for their “shameful hypocrisy” in ignoring the “massacre” of Kashmiri Muslims in PoK.

In his commentary published in the Times of Israel, Arizanti compared global reactions to civilian deaths in Gaza with the muted response to killings in PoK, asking why “the death of a Palestinian in Gaza is a global headline, but the death of a Kashmiri Muslim in Muzaffarabad is a footnote.”

Arizanti noted that while the OIC frequently issues statements condemning India, it has not expressed a single word regarding the Pakistani forces’ firing on unarmed protesters. He questioned the absence of moral outrage from Islamic scholars, ministers, and clerics who vocally condemn other crises but have ignored the situation in PoK.

The commentator further highlighted other issues overlooked by the OIC, including Pakistan’s role in the Kabul terrorist attack, the killing of Afghan cricketers, and the enforced disappearances of Baloch people by Pakistani authorities. Critics argue that the organisation’s selective advocacy undermines its credibility as a defender of Muslim rights globally.

Based On ANI Report