ISLAMABAD: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Wednesday reaffirmed that the core cause of the recent flare-up between India and Pakistan lies in the unresolved Kashmir dispute, calling on the international community to urge New Delhi toward a “peaceful and expeditious” resolution to maintain regional peace.
The statement came during a commemoration of the sixth anniversary of India’s 2019 move to revoke Article 370, stripping Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir of its special constitutional status and integrating the Muslim-majority region into the Indian union. The controversial decision triggered a diplomatic backlash from Pakistan, which downgraded ties with India. The diplomatic standoff remains unresolved as both countries continue to claim Kashmir in full while administering parts of it.
Addressing the United Nations, OIC Permanent Observer Ambassador Hameed Opeloyeru said the latest military tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors stem from this decades-long territorial conflict.
In May this year, India and Pakistan engaged in a short but intense four-day military exchange involving drone attacks, artillery, and missiles following a deadly gun attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir. India blamed Pakistan for the incident, while Islamabad strongly denied involvement and called for an impartial investigation.
“The OIC continues to urge the international community to apply pressure on the Indian government for a peaceful and timely resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the UN Charter and principles of international law,” said Opeloyeru. “The people of Jammu and Kashmir have an undeniable right to self-determination as recognized by international legal frameworks.”
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He emphasized that the Kashmir conflict remains the “root cause” behind the recent hostilities in the region. Referring to the Pahalgam incident on April 22 and the retaliatory attacks that followed, the OIC welcomed the ceasefire that took effect on May 10 and continues to hold.
The OIC also expressed concern over India’s move to suspend the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty—a World Bank-brokered agreement on the distribution of river waters between the two countries—in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack. While Islamabad described the suspension as “an act of war,” the OIC called for restraint and the resumption of dialogue between the two sides in accordance with existing bilateral agreements.
Reiterating its long-standing stance, the OIC condemned India’s 2019 revocation of Kashmir’s autonomy and denounced what it described as attempts to alter the region’s demographic structure. The group reaffirmed its full support for the “legitimate struggle” of the Kashmiri people for self-determination, citing relevant resolutions adopted at its ministerial meeting in Istanbul in June 2025.