99the “self-determination” of Kashmiris, flags “human rights violations”
committed by security forces and urges India to accept and cooperate with
the OIC “fact-finding team.”
It is essential to remember that there were considerable criticisms within
India over the human rights situation in Kashmir, especially since the out-
break of violence in the 1990s. Wanton killing of the civilian population,
prolonged incarceration and controversial implementation of various insur-
gency-centric legislations, custodial deaths, absence of meaningful political
dialogue and other forms of restrictions and curbs have evoked criticisms
from different human rights groups within the country. The establishment
of the National Human Rights Commission in October 1993 was partly a
response to the human rights violations in Kashmir (Arun Ray 1997 ).
However, interference in the sovereign jurisdiction is inherently prob-
lematic and could boomerang. The human rights conditions in a number
of OIC countries, including Pakistan, are anything but exemplary. Over
the years, citing their track records, many have questioned the UNHRC
membership of some of the OIC members (Sampathkumar 2017 ). In
some sense, the outbreak of widespread protests in many Arab countries
since 2011 was a no-confidence against their human rights records (Ismael
and Ismael 2013 ). Though India might ‘object or reject’ the unwanted
meddling, continuous tension and unrest in Kashmir are an open invita-
tion for the OIC to interfere.
Similarly, the resolution on Kashmir adopted by the 21st Islamic for-
eign ministers meeting held in Karachi in April 1993, shortly after the
Ayodhya controversy, called on member states “to take all necessary steps
to persuade India to cease forthwith the massive human rights violations
of the Kashmiri people and to enable them to exercise their inalienable
right to self-determination as mandated by the relevant resolutions of the
Security Council” (OIC 1993 ). Since then it has become regular and
Islamic foreign ministers meetings adopt long resolutions on Kashmir. As
a member of the group, Pakistan has hosted many Islamic gatherings;
besides the second summit in Lahore in February 1974, it hosted foreign
ministers meetings in December 1970 (Karachi), May 1980 (Islamabad),
April 1993 (Karachi), and May 2007 (Islamabad). Nomination of its
members to key positions in the organization and its persistence result in
Kashmir figuring prominently in the OIC deliberations.
While the Kashmir issue has to be resolved independent of the OIC,
these resolutions are a diplomatic embarrassment for India and hog media
limelight, especially when a particular country adopts unfriendly postures
towards India. Egged on by Pakistan, some draw a parallel between
Kashmir and Palestine to corner India. Very often the OIC’s criticisms of
PAKISTAN FACTOR