Amid China Tension – Emergency meeting of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Kashmir

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is going to have an emergency meeting on Jammu Kashmir today. This meeting is of the contact group, which was formed by OIC in 1994 for Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan had been demanding this meeting for a long time. When India is facing many disputes with China, Nepal and Pakistan, the OIC meeting is no less than a shock for India. 

The current situation in Kashmir will be discussed in the OIC meeting to be held on Monday through video conferencing. In this meeting, the member countries of J&K Contact Group will be Azerbaijan, Niger, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

OIC Secretary General, Dr. Yusuf Al Othaimin said that this meeting is part of the series of meetings being held to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir issue. The OIC organization consists of 67 countries and is considered the voice of the Muslim world. Earlier, in the month of September also, the member countries of the Jammu and Kashmir Contact Group called a meeting on the Kashmir issue and expressed concern about the situation in Kashmir.

Regarding Kashmir, Pakistan has been constantly demanding from the OIC that they should take concrete steps against India. But the OIC, dominated by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), did not show much activism in the case of Kashmir and Pakistan is disappointed. Today, ie on 22 June, an emergency meeting by the OIC will be seen as Pakistan’s success. Earlier, Saudi Arabia and UAE have been working as a defense for India in the case of Kashmir in Islamic countries.

In the case of Kashmir, Pakistan had tried to mobilize the Islamic countries and the first attempt was started from the OIC. But it is not easy to take any step in Saudi Arabia without the consent of the OIC. In such a situation, Pakistan tried to mobilize the countries which have been expressing their mistrust of the OIC. The leading countries are Iran, Turkey and Malaysia.

All these three countries have been of the view that the OIC has failed to understand the ambition of the Islamic countries and to give them due attention. After this, the then Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mahathir Mohammad, Turkish President Ardoan and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan tried to draw a line from Kashmir to the OIC. However, this was taken by Saudi Arabia as a challenge to the OIC and prevented Pakistan from joining the campaign.

It was seen as India’s diplomatic victory. But when India is facing many disputes with its neighbors China, Nepal and Pakistan, in such a situation, this step of OIC cannot be considered positive for India.

Actually, India had abolished special status of Jammu and Kashmir last year, then China and Pakistan protested. India and Saudi have good relations but Saudi has better relations with China as well. It would not be easy for Saudi to choose one in China and India. China buys a large part of the oil it needs from Saudi Arabia. In such a situation, there is tension in India and China, then Saudi Arabia does not want to risk offending China and Pakistan.