ISLAMABAD: The General Secretariat of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Sunday expressed deep concern over the deteriorating situation in India-held Kashmir, including the reports of deployment of additional paramilitary forces there.

“The General Secretariat is saddened to learn about the civilian casualties resulting from ceasefire violations carried out by Indian forces across the Line of Control [LoC] and expresses solidarity with the people of Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir,” the OIC said in a statement.

Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani also brought the attention of the international community’s to the fresh spate of Indian aggression by writing to speakers and presiding officers of all ­parliaments of the world. Mr Sanjrani wrote to the speakers and presiding officers and telephoned some of them, seeking their support to resolve the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the United Nations resolutions.

He also apprised the speakers of the use of cluster ammunition by the Indian armed forces in held Kashmir and their indiscriminate firing across the LoC on civilian settlements. “World’s people representative parliaments should pressurise India to stop state terrorism in Kashmir,” the senate chairman said in his letter, adding that the international community should play its role in bringing India on the table for a dialogue on the issue.

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif, in a statement, urged the United Nations secretary general to play his role in stopping the genocide of Kashmiris.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Raja Ali Ejaz also called upon chief adviser to Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Secretary General and Acting Secretary General Dr Abdullah Mosa Altayer to apprise him of the Indian aggression along the LoC and its use of cluster ammunition to deliberately target the innocent civilian population.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2019