India condemns the visit of Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Hissein Brahim Taha to Kashmir and considers it an attempt to interfere in its internal affairs, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi told reporters Tuesday.
"We strongly condemn the visit of the OIC secretary-general to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and his comments on Jammu and Kashmir during the trip. The OIC has nothing to do with issues related to Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India," Bagchi said. He said the attempt to "interfere in India's internal affairs by the OIC and its secretary-general is totally unacceptable."
The Indian MFA spokesperson stressed that "OIC has already lost its credibility by taking an openly communal, biased and wrong approach to the problems" and its secretary-general "unfortunately, has become the mouthpiece of Pakistan."
Kashmir has been a subject of dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947, when British India, after gaining independence, divided into two states along religious lines. There is now no state border in Kashmir, its territory is divided by a line of control. In the Indian part, groups advocating separation from the country are active. India accuses neighboring Pakistan of supporting extremists; Islamabad denies the accusations.
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Based on materials from TASS