In a statement released on Tuesday, OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu “strongly condemned the violence perpetrated by the Indian security forces against innocent Kashmiris, leading to the loss of numerous precious lives.”

Reiterating OIC’s support for the Kashmiri people, Ihsanoglu called on India “to end its human rights violations in the area and seek a peaceful and negotiated settlement of the Kashmir dispute.”

Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed his anguish over the recent killings in the Kashmir valley.

In a televised speech in Urdu, the official language of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, Singh said he could understand the “pain and disappointment” of the people.

Singh also opened a meeting with leaders of all political parties in Jammu and Kashmir. The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) stayed away. The meeting started with a two-minute silence to mourn the deaths in the valley.

Also on Tuesday, several hundred Pakistanis demonstrated in Muzaffarabad, the capital of the Pakistani side of Kashmir, to denounce the ongoing violence.

The protesters marched to the UN military observers’ office in the city and sat on the road, shouting slogans like “Indian dog go back,” “UN oh UN play your role,” and “We want freedom.”

— With input from agencies