OIC Condemns Reported Assaults on Muslims in India Following Kashmir Terror Attack
On April 22, a militant assault in the town of Pahalgam killed 26 tourists. According to survivors and media reports, the attackers appeared to single out Hindu men, triggering public outrage and renewed communal tensions. Indian authorities have accused Pakistan of being behind the attack, a claim Islamabad strongly rejects. Pakistan has consistently rejected allegations of supporting militant activity in Kashmir, instead asserting its diplomatic support for the region’s Muslim population.
The IPHRC, in a statement published on its website Saturday, cited international media accounts reporting that Muslim students and vendors from Kashmir have faced harassment and threats in several Indian cities since the attack. The commission described the situation as “disturbing,” claiming that incidents of violence and hate speech against Muslims have escalated both online and offline.
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The statement alleged that "far-right Hindu nationalist groups" have blamed the Muslim community for the attack, leading to what the IPHRC termed as “targeted reprisal attacks.” While expressing condolences over the loss of civilian lives in the Pahalgam incident, the commission maintained that “reprisal violence against innocent civilians” contravenes international human rights standards.
The IPHRC urged Indian authorities to conduct an impartial investigation into the attack and ensure the protection of all civilians, particularly vulnerable communities. It called on India to implement concrete measures to uphold its human rights obligations and safeguard the rights of Muslims.
The commission also appealed to international actors, including United Nations human rights mechanisms, to monitor the evolving situation and take action to protect the dignity and safety of Muslims in India. Reiterating longstanding OIC positions, the IPHRC advocated for a UN-led fact-finding mission in Kashmir to assess the human rights landscape.
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Tensions between India and Pakistan have spiked in the wake of the Pahalgam attack. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged to pursue the perpetrators “to the ends of the earth,” fueling concerns of possible military escalation. Pakistan’s government, meanwhile, has claimed to possess intelligence of a potential Indian strike and warned of a strong response if provoked.
The Himalayan region of Kashmir remains a flashpoint between the two nuclear-armed nations, who both claim the territory but govern different parts of it.
Source: Agencies
