Islamabad: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir convened on September 23, 2025, in New York, alongside the 80th UN General Assembly session, issuing a strong condemnation of India’s activities in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). The group, comprising representatives from Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Niger, along with the OIC Secretary General, reaffirmed their support for the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.
The assembly expressed worry over the heightened military activity in the South Asia area, particularly criticizing the strikes on locations within Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. They applauded the subsequent ceasefire and mediation endeavors. The representatives stressed that lasting tranquility in the region hinges on resolving the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, aligning with UN resolutions and Kashmiri aspirations.
The OIC group raised concerns over India’s post-Pahalgam attack crackdown in IIOJK, citing the apprehension of roughly 2,800 individuals and destruction of homes. They criticized the continued imprisonment of Kashmiri leader Shabbir Ahmed Shah, diagnosed with cancer, and denounced the detention of political activists, human rights advocates, and the banning of political parties. Restrictions on religious gatherings at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid and Eidgah also drew condemnation.
The Contact Group rejected India’s August 5, 2019, actions and subsequent measures, viewing them as attempts to alter IIOJK’s demographics and political landscape. They emphasized that elections under the Indian constitution cannot replace the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination. The group welcomed the OIC Secretary General’s Special Envoy’s April 2025 visit to Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
The OIC urged increased awareness of the Kashmiri situation in international forums, including the UN. A fact-finding mission to Azad Jammu and Kashmir and the Line of Control was requested from the OIC-Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission. The group urged India to enhance the human rights situation in IIOJK, release political detainees, lift bans on political entities, revoke restrictive regulations, and adhere to relevant UN resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir.