India slams OIC's statement on Kashmir, says 'absurd, at Pakistan's behest'

OIC's statement called for restraint between India and Pakistan, and urged peaceful resolution of differences through dialogue in line with UN resolutions and international law

India on Tuesday slammed the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for its May 2 statement regarding tensions between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 Indian civilians.

 

Responding to media queries, the Ministry of External Affairs' (MEA) spokesperson described the OIC's statement as 'absurd' and refusing to recognise the facts of the Pahalgam attack.

 

"The OIC statement, issued at the behest of Pakistan, is absurd in refusing to recognise the facts of the Pahalgam terrorist attack and its cross-border linkages. This is yet another attempt by Pakistan, a country that has long engaged in cross-border terrorism, to manipulate and misguide the OIC Group to issue a self-serving statement," the MEA said.

 

The ministry further said that the government rejects the OIC’s interference on matters that are internal to India.

What did the OIC say?

On May 2, the OIC issued a statement calling for restraint and the urgent resumption of dialogue between Pakistan and India. It added that there was a need to resolve differences through peaceful means, in accordance with international law and the United Nations Charter to safeguard peace, security, and stability in South Asia.

 

"It (OIC) also recalled the decisions of the Islamic Summit and the resolutions adopted by the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers reaffirming the Organisation’s unwavering support for the Jammu and Kashmir question. The General Secretariat urged the international community to intensify efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, in line with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions," the statement added.

 

This is not the first time India has accused Pakistan of misusing OIC.

 

Last month, when Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri was asked a question in this regard, he said, "It's a habit of long standing, one that we have regularly spoken out against and also raised with our friends and partners in the OIC."