OIC renews call for an expeditious resolution of dispute
Kashmir dispute continues to attract attention of global community: Ambassador Opeloyeru
Monitoring Desk
NEW YORK: Ambassador Hameed Opeloyeru, Permanent Observer of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC )to the United Nations (UN), has said that the long-pending Kashmir dispute has continued to attract the attention of the global community.
Ambassador Hameed Opeloyeru in his key-note address during an event held at Pakistan Mission to the UN to mark the sixth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 & 35 A said the OIC has continued to renew its call on the global community to persuade the Indian government to allow an expeditious but peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute.
He added that it is evident that the unresolved Kashmir dispute is the root cause of the recent hostilities in South Asia. To this end, he said, the OIC promptly expressed its concern on the Pahalgam attack on April 22, 2025 and later welcomed the ceasefire, which was established on 10 May 2025 and which continued to hold to date.
In his keynote address, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said today we are witnessing alarming parallels between the policies of Prime Minister Modi and Netanyahu — both pursuing a strategy of uprooting indigenous populations, whether in Kashmir or in Palestine, in a blatant attempt to alter demographic realities and suppress legitimate aspirations.
He, however, added that history testifies that such oppressive designs have never succeeded . He said in the case of Kashmir, India continues to deny its people their inalienable right to self-determination — which is enshrined in numerous UN Security Council resolutions — by introducing demographic engineering, granting domiciles to non-Kashmiris, and manipulating electoral constituencies, all in an effort to silence Kashmiris’ voices.
Ambassador Asim Iftikhar added that even in the face of a recent military provocation and victory in May, Pakistan chose diplomacy over escalation — a decision that reaffirms our status as a responsible member of the international community. He said that while India suffered not only a military setback but also reputational damage, Pakistan secured a major diplomatic achievement with the unanimous adoption of its resolution on the peaceful settlement of disputes — a significant outcome at a time when the Security Council remains polarized.
Ambassador Iftikhar emphasized that the UN Secretary-General’s reaffirmation of the UN’s longstanding position on Jammu and Kashmir as a disputed territory, following India’s illegal actions of August 5, 2019, was both timely and significant.
He said that the UN’s position is fully aligned with Pakistan’s — grounded in the Charter’s principles and the will of the Kashmiri people. He said that “Kashmiris are not alone. Pakistan stands firmly with them and will continue to extend its moral, political and diplomatic support until justice is served, and their legitimate aspirations are fulfilled.”
Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, Secretary General of World Kashmir Awareness Forum, described August 5, 2019, as constituting the darkest chapter in the history of Kashmir. He said India’s attempts to falsely equate this indigenous freedom movement with terrorism, and to lay blame on Pakistan, have failed to gain international traction, adding that not a single country accepted India’s narrative following the Pahalgam incident.
Aamer Ahmed Atozai, Consul General of Pakistan in New York, paid tribute to the resilience and sacrifices of the Kashmiri people in the face of decades-long occupation and repression.
