SRINAGAR:The BJP on Thursday sought the Organisation of Islamic Conference’s (OIC) help to prevent Pakistan from changing the ethnic composition of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir(PoK). And the move came barely 24 hours after Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary accused India of “changing” the demography of J&K. “The OIC should take note of the oppressed people of GB, where Pakistan has not held a single fair election in the past 60 years, but imposed rulers on the hapless people,” BJP spokesman Khalid Jehangir said.
“Pakistan has settled outsiders there and left no stone unturned in its efforts to change the demography of the region,” he said.
“In contrast, Kashmiris have complete faith in Indian democracy; the overwhelming participation of the people in the recent Assembly polls is proof of it,” Jehangir said.
By seeking the OIC’s help in PoK, the BJP contradicting the party’s initial position, which was against OIC resolutions on Kashmir, saying the bloc of Muslim countries had no role in the state, which was an integral part of India.
Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry on Thursday, during a briefing for Ambassadors of OIC countries, had expressed “deep concern” over the policies of the Indian government, which was “changing” the demographic make-up of J&K by settling non-state subjects in the state to turn the Muslim majority into a minority and divide the population on ethnic,
religious and communal lines. He had said, “No election in Kashmir could be a substitute to the plebiscite under the auspices of the UN.” However, Jehangir, who is said to be close to PM Narendra Modi, advised Pakistan to first set its own house in order and then poke its nose into Jammu and Kashmir.
“The people of Kashmir have realised that Pakistan is not their well-wisher and Pakistanis are not their friends,” he said and alleged that Islamabad “orchestrated the bloodshed” in J&K, fought a proxy war, and used Kashmiri youth to further its nefarious designs. The BJP spokesperson said Pakistan was now trying to raise “non-issues” to ensure that that peace and normalcy were not restored to Jammu and Kashmir.
Taking a u-turn
By seeking the OIC’s help in PoK, the BJP is contradicting the party’s initial position, which was against OIC resolutions on Kashmir, saying the bloc of Muslim countries had no role in the state, which was an integral part of India.