A separatist leader has asked Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir to marry more than once and have as many children as possible to preserve the Muslim-majority character of the state.

"We appeal well-to-do Muslims to marry more than once and have as many children as possible. The Quranic tenet of justice between wives is only in providing equal provision and not inclination of the heart," Mohammad Qasim, who is serving a life sentence on murder charges, said in a statement emailed by his party Muslim-Deenimahaz, on Saturday.

Qasim, husband of Dukhtaran-e-Millat chief Asiya Andrabi, said, "the settlement of refugees in Jammu and Kashmir was a ploy to change the Muslim-majority status of the state." He said Kashmiri Muslims are themselves playing a part in their own destruction.

"Girls are being married late which implies less children-bearing capability. The excuse given for late marriages is that the youth (groom) should become economically stable." "Then after marriage, the birth control slogans like 'hum do hamaray do' and 'pehla abhi nahi, doosra kabhi nahi' are continuously pounded upon these couples," he said.

Qasim said having less children due to fear of economic problems is nothing but ignorance.

He further claimed in the statement that almost 7% girls in Jammu and Kashmir are "facing Polycystic Ovarian syndrome" and are thus unable to bear children after they are of 23-24 years and almost "10% boys suffer from depleted sperm count and mortality".

Qasim said it is surprising that despite having 80% Hindu population in India, the Hindu leaders are asking women to bear at least five children.