LAHORE - Some media reports suggest that foreign ministers of the OIC countries will be meeting in Islamabad in about four months - in April – to discuss the situation after the promulgation of an anti-Muslim law by India and the toughest restrictions, including continuous curfew the eight million Kashmiris have been facing since Aug 5, when New Delhi annexed Kashmir, disregarding all UN resolutions that categorise the state as a disputed territory.
The development comes after Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud’s recent visit to Islamabad during which, among other things, matters concerning the Kuala Lumpur Summit, which Pakistan did not attend, came under discussion.
This is the height of insensitivity and indifference that the Islamic countries will take another fourth months to meet and discuss the situation in Occupied Kashmir. Needless to point out that Indian brutalities there have been going on unabated for the past several decades and were stepped up after Aug 5. The role of the Islamic world has been no more than that of a silent spectator.
Muslims were duty-bound to take urgent steps to get back the Kashmiris their due rights. For this purpose they should have used all their influence to force India to take back its unconstitutional decision. Their willful blindness to the Occupied Kashmir situation amounts to giving India a free hand to do whatever it likes to. The mere lip service or concern expressed by some of Islamic states cannot heal the wounds inflicted by Indian brutal forces on Kashmiris.
The role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is more disappointing than other OIC states as opposed Muslims across the world pin their hopes on this country. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques was expected to cancel all his appointments to spare time to work out a comprehensive plan to help the oppressed Kashmiris. But, regrettably, it has not done enough. Had it used influence India would not have dared to subject Kashmiris to atrocities, and would have rescinded the annexation decision.
The weak reaction has only encouraged India to continue its policy of eliminating Kashmiris.
The reaction from Pakistan is also not what it should have been.
All political parties, in power or on opposition benches, should have suspended all other activities, sat together to hammer out a strategy to force India to go back to pre-Aug 5 position. The parliament should have remained in session till the preparations of an effective plan to deal with India.
Opposition parties that otherwise miss no opportunity to criticise the government for their own rights have failed to propose any practical step that people in power should take.
They should have requisitioned a session of parliament to discuss the matter at length. But they haven’t.
The ruling party should have sent emissaries to important countries to seek their support on the Kashmir issue. So far, there is no such plan.
Unfortunately, Prime Minister Imran Khan has no previous experience of governance and since his team also comprises political novices, he has not been able to show much performance on any front. He will have to pay the price of his inexperience or inefficiency at the time of next elections, whenever they are held.
He will be remembered as a prime minister in whose tenure India annexed Kashmir and he failed to elicit international support. Although the opposition parties’ role on this front is equally disappointing, in the next elections they will shift the entire blame to the PTI leadership.
As for the OIC foreign ministers’ April meeting, not much can be expected from it. The reason is Pakistan’s abstention from the Kuala Lumpur Summit. Whatever justification Pakistan offers, Turkey and Malaysia will not be convinced. And if nothing is done to iron out differences beforehand, nothing concrete can be expected from the event.
And that will add to the frustration of the besieged Kashmiris.