The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Friday invited separatist Mirwaiz Umar Farooq for a meet on Jammu and Kashmir in New York on the sidelines of the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly later this month.
In what India could see as a major provocation, the OIC is holding a meeting of the Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir from September 19 to 22 in New York.
The invite to Kashmiri separatists comes at a time when a major civilian uprising has kept the Kashmir Valley simmering for the past 63 days. Most separatists, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, remains in a Srinagar sub-jail.
Sources in the State Government said no senior separatist leader will be allowed to go outside the country as their travel documents remain suspended.
The OIC contact group, whose secretary general is Abdullah Al-Alim, consists of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkey, Niger and Azerbaijan. It issued a statement earlier in July “conveying its concerns to the international community regarding the flagrant human rights violations and abuse of the basic rights of the Kashmiris.”
Hurriyat faction chairman Syed Ali Geelani, who was stopped from holding a press conference in Srinagar, on Friday praised the stand of Pakistan, China and Turkey on Kashmir and claimed a “hit list of civilians is being prepared by the rulers.” “We warn that any such misadventure will have serious repercussions,” said Mr. Geelani.
Published - September 10, 2016 02:05 am IST
