India Hits Back At OIC Over Kashmir, Says ‘Better Advised To Counsel Pakistan’

India on Tuesday hit back at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) after its Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir reiterated support for what it called the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination at a meeting in New York.

“The OIC has no locus standi to pronounce on matters that are strictly internal to India,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement responding to references to India in the OIC Contact Group’s joint communiqué.

The MEA also said the OIC would be “better advised to counsel Pakistan”, accusing Islamabad of having a “well-documented record of supporting and sponsoring terrorism”.

What OIC Said

The OIC Ministerial Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir met in New York on Monday on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

In its statement, the OIC said its Secretary-General, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, reaffirmed the organisation’s support for the “inalienable right” of the Kashmiri people to self-determination.

The OIC also expressed concern over the humanitarian, human rights and security situation in the region and called for what it described as the reversal of unilateral measures taken since 2019.

It said the relevant UN Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir remained in force and called for stronger international efforts to protect human rights, document developments and keep the issue on the international agenda.

Pakistan At Meeting

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar participated in the Contact Group meeting in New York, according to Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

The Contact Group includes OIC member states that have regularly raised the Kashmir issue at international forums. Its latest meeting took place during the UN General Assembly’s high-level week, when senior government representatives from member states are in New York.

Pakistan has continued to raise Jammu and Kashmir at international forums, while India has consistently rejected external involvement in what it describes as its internal affairs.

India’s Response

In its response, the MEA said the OIC’s references to Jammu and Kashmir were “unwarranted” and reiterated India’s position that the organisation had no role in matters concerning the country’s internal administration.

New Delhi also criticised what it described as Pakistan’s record on terrorism, saying the OIC should focus on Islamabad rather than commenting on India.

The statement follows the OIC’s reaffirmation of its position on Kashmir and comes as both India and Pakistan engage with other countries on the margins of the UN General Assembly.

The exchange highlights the continuing disagreement between New Delhi and the OIC over the organisation’s position on Jammu and Kashmir, with the OIC continuing to raise the issue and India rejecting its intervention.