OIC irrelevant, Pakistan its manipulator, says MEA

India on Thursday hit out at OIC’s references to Kashmir in statements adopted at its meeting in Islamabad, saying these “demonstrate both the irrelevance of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation as a body and role of Pakistan as its manipulator”.

In a strongly-worded response to the OIC statement, Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Arindam Bagchi said references have been made to India and are based on falsehoods and misrepresentation. He said the “absurdity” of OIC commenting on the treatment of minorities at the instance of “a serial violator of human rights like Pakistan”, is so evident.

Bagchi said countries associated with this exercise should realise its impact on their reputation.

“The statements and resolutions adopted at the meeting demonstrate both the irrelevance of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation as a body and the role of Pakistan as its manipulator,” he said.

“References have been made to India that are based on falsehoods and misrepresentation. The absurdity of this body commenting on the treatment of minorities, that too at the instance of a serial violator of human rights like Pakistan, is so evident. Nations and Governments that associate themselves with such exercises should realise the impact it has on their reputation,” he added. Bagchi was responding to media queries on references to India in the statements and resolutions adopted at the OIC meeting in Pakistan.

India had on Wednesday rejected the “uncalled reference” to Jammu and Kashmir by the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his speech at the opening ceremony of the OIC.

Bagchi had said matters related to the union territory “are entirely the internal affairs of India” and added other countries including China have no locus standi to comment.