ISLAMABAD – The strongly worded resolution by the OIC’s ministerial meetingin Abu Dhabi condemning state terrorism in Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK)brought embarrassment and a setback to the anti-Pakistan agenda of NarendraModi’s government.The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government’s dream of getting into57-Muslim nations body using backdoor fell flat when the OIC exposedjingoistic Indian face to the world just a day after its foreign ministerSushma Swaraj addressed its plenary as ‘guest of honour’.The BJP government fell in another quagmire as it had already been facingthe mounting criticism over the failure to prove its claims of a surgicalstrike inside Pakistan and further embarrassment by Pakistan’s befittingmilitary action resulting into the downing of its two aircraft and arrestof a pilot.India had termed the invitation to Organization of Islamic Cooperation’sCouncil of Foreign Ministers a great diplomatic success which provedotherwise at the end.The resolution adopted at the conclusion has condemned the recent wave ofstate terrorism in the IoK and reminded the international community of itsobligation to ensure implementation of the United Nations Security Councilresolutions on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.Pakistan had boycotted the plenary session of the 46th CFM at the foreignminister level as protest for inviting the Indian foreign minister at themoot.Some politicians and analysts had already advised the Indian foreignminister against attending the OIC meeting as once in 1969, the country hadfaced embarrassment after Pakistan, the founding member of the body, hadgot the invitation to India rescinded.In reaction to the OIC resolution, the Press Trust of India (PTI) quotedCongress spokesperson Manish Tewari as saying, “The NDA-BJP governmenttouted it as a huge diplomatic success for India that it has been invitedto attend the plenary…But what happened in Abu Dhabi is extremelydisturbing for India.”Tewari said the Congress would like to ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi andEAM Swaraj whether this was “the diplomatic achievement”.Terming the OIC resolution a success, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister ShahMahmood Qureshi congratulated the nation. “The OIC resolution has endorsedPakistan’s stance on Kashmir calling it central to regional peace and hascondemned Indian terrorism in Kashmir. The OIC, recognising Pakistan’sright to self-defence, denounced Indian aggression,” he said in a tweet.All Parties Hurriyat Conference Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq welcomed thetwo OIC resolutions calling for an end to human rights violations inKashmir while stressing the need to resolve the Kashmir dispute inaccordance with the wishes of people of Jammu and Kashmir.“A weak govt’s failed diplomacy,” remarked All India Mahila Congress.In this scenario, lauding the statesmanship of Prime Minister Imran Khan,Dr Claude Rakisits, a strategic analyst and Associate at GeorgetownUniversity remarked, “One of the big takes of this #Pakistan-#India fracasis that it confirms without any doubt that the election of #ImranKhan as PMwas probably the best thing that happened to Pakistan in many years!”The Citizen, an Indian newspaper termed the OIC resolution a major setbackfor the Indian foreign policy.The paper quoting a senior Indian diplomat said the OIC statement shouldhave been expected, as it was consistent with its position over the years.It was not still clear what gains Indian diplomacy had made on that front,except to lend further legitimacy to the OIC and hence the resolution initself that also called for restraint, and urged both countries to work forpeace.It said the minister’s (Sushma Swaraj) speech against terrorism washighlighted, but within 24 hours the resolution had poured cold water overthose diplomatic efforts. “New Delhi’s response remains tame as it is notin a position to attack an Organisation that it has itself given fulllegitimacy to.”In a report, The Hindu said the language of the statements that were issuedwith Indian references was harsh… The statement on the “peace processbetween India-Pakistan” is unusual.”Another newspaper The Indian Express said the Kashmir resolution had thephrase “Indian terrorism” in Kashmir — the last time the resolutionmentioned “wicked terrorist act”.Rachit Seth, an activist of Indian National Congress, tweeted, “What adiplomatic disaster and self goal by Modi Govt!!“Dear modi ji Please tell india what resolution the OIC passed in front ofOur @SushmaSwaraj. They used term “Indian Terrorism,” another twitteratisaid.Professor Happymon Jacob at Jawaharlal Nehru University said, “This is ahuge diplomatic embarrassment. Didn’t the government foresee this whilesending the foreign minister to the OIC?!”
BJP government in India fell into yet another quagmire
