Pakistan and the OIC

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is the second largest organization, after the United Nations, with a membership of 57 Member States spread over four continents. Being the collective voice of the Muslim world, the Organization endeavours to protect and promote the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony. The OIC aims to enhance solidarity and cooperation among Member States in political, economic, social, cultural, scientific and humanitarian fields. OIC’s General Secretariat is based in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Mr. Hissein Brahim Taha is the current Secretary General of the OIC.

Pakistan values the OIC’s role and contribution as an institutional expression of the Pan-Islamic sentiment. As a founding member, it remains committed to the values and objectives of the Organization. In view of Article 40 of the Constitution, promoting relations with the Muslim countries is a constitutional obligation and a key pillar of Pakistan’s foreign policy.

Pakistan has been an active founding Member of the OIC. It hosted the Second OIC Summit Conference in February 1974 in Lahore. An Extraordinary OIC Summit was also held in Islamabad in 1997 on the occasion of Pakistan’s Golden Jubilee. Pakistan has contributed substantively in advancing the OIC’s collective agenda on political, economic, social, cultural, scientific and humanitarian issues.

Pakistan has also hosted the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (ICFM)/Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) on five occasions (2^nd Session-December 1970, 11^th Session, May 1980, 21^st Session, April 1993, 34^th Session, May 2007, and 48^th Session-March 2022).The 1^st, 7^th, and 17^th Extraordinary Sessions of the Council of Foreign Ministers were also convened in Islamabad in January 1980, September 1994, and December 2021, respectively.

Pakistan hosted the 48^th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) on 22-23 March 2022. The Session coincided with the celebration of the 75^th anniversary of Pakistan’s independence. It was one of the most significant multilateral events in Pakistan after a hiatus of 15 years. The Session adopted more than 140 Resolutions on political, economic, scientific, humanitarian, organizational, legal, human rights, cultural, social, and minority affairs. Key outcomes included the adoption of the OIC Plan of Action on Jammu & Kashmir and enhanced focus on combating Islamophobia. It was marked by high-level participation, as 45 out of 70 delegations were led at the Ministerial level or above. State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi of China addressed the inaugural session as a special guest.

Following its Chairmanship of the 48^th CFM, Pakistan served as a Member of the OIC Executive Committee until the conclusion of the 50^th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) in 2024 and contributed actively to its deliberations on major challenges confronting the Muslim world.

Pakistan has been leading the OIC Ambassadors Group in Geneva for many years. Pakistan’s pro-active role in Geneva has helped highlight the OIC's positions on various issues of concern, particularly human rights violations in IIOJK and Palestine, Islamophobia and protection of religious freedoms. In New York as well, the Pakistan Mission takes an active part in formulating OIC positions on important issues at the UN General Assembly and other bodies. It was Pakistan that tabled, on behalf of the OIC countries, the UN General Assembly Resolution on the designation of 15^th March as ‘International Day to Combat Islamophobia’.

Pakistan is also host to a number of OIC institutions.

The headquarters of the OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) is located in Islamabad. Pakistan continues to support COMSTECH initiatives aimed at capacity-building, innovation and scientific collaboration among OIC Member States.

The Islamic Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Development (ICCD), an affiliated institution of OIC, is based in Karachi.

Pakistan is an active Member of the OIC Contact Groups on Jammu and Kashmir, Palestine, Somalia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Yemen, Aggression of Republic of Armenia against the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mediation and Muslims in Europe, peace and dialogue and the recently established OIC Ministerial Contact Group on Afghanistan. Pakistan actively contributes to consensus-building and coordinating diplomatic responses through these mechanisms.

The Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the OIC, based in Jeddah, plays an active institutional role in representing Pakistan’s interests at the OIC. It engages with the General Secretariat, OIC subsidiary organs, specialised and affiliated institutions and ensures that Pakistan’s positions are effectively conveyed in OIC deliberations. The Mission also facilitates follow-up on CFM and Summit decisions, supports Pakistani officials attending OIC meetings, and promotes Pakistan’s initiatives within the OIC platforms.

Pakistan has been playing a proactive role in advancing the Palestinian cause through the platform of the OIC. Pakistan has played a noteworthy role in raising its voice for the cessation of violence in Gaza, restoration of peace and stability and enforcement of the rights of the Palestinians during the various Extraordinary and regular meetings of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers and the Arab Islamic Summit held in the last over two years. Pakistan has consistently called for an immediate ceasefire, unhindered humanitarian access and accountability under international law.

Pakistan has persistently utilised the OIC platform to reiterate its unflinching support for an independent, sovereign and viable Palestinian state which is territorially contiguous with borders as existed before 1967 and East Jerusalem as its capital.

Pakistani professionals have played a commendable role in the establishment and strengthening of various OIC institutions, particularly the Islamic Development Bank and Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC).

Additionally, Pakistan has been tabling resolutions at the CFM on a wide range of important subjects, including Jammu and Kashmir, peace and stability in South Asia, Islamophobia, disarmament and non-proliferation and protection of Islamic holy sites. Pakistan-sponsored resolutions enjoy broad support within the OIC and reflect shared concerns of the Muslim Ummah. These unanimously adopted resolutions are a manifestation of the OIC’s support for Pakistan on issues of critical importance.

OIC and Jammu & Kashmir

The OIC has been consistently and unequivocally supporting the Kashmir cause through a series of pronouncements, including the Communiqués issued by the Islamic Summits and the Resolutions adopted by various sessions of the Council of Foreign Ministers. The OIC resolutions and pronouncements – carrying the weight of 57 Member States – unequivocally reinforce Pakistan’s call for the settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolutions.

In the wake of India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019, the OIC remains actively seized of the matter. The 48th CFM adopted a comprehensive OIC Plan of Action on J&K which has assigned concrete actions to six addressees including Member States, OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir, the Secretary General and General Secretariat, Special Envoy on Jammu and Kashmir, Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) and Subsidiary Organs and Institutions to raise the Jammu and Kashmir dispute at various international fora with greater vigour. The Plan of Action continues to guide OIC engagement on the issue.

The OIC General Secretariat and Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission have both issued several statements, showing concern over different developments in IIOJK, rejecting the Indian efforts for demographic change and calling for the reversal of all illegal and unilateral measures taken on or after 5 August 2019.These statements underscore the international human rights dimension of the dispute.

The Secretary General of the OIC, Hissein Brahim Taha visited Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir on 11-12 December, 2022. He also visited the Line of Control and met with the leadership and people of AJK. He assured the people of Jammu and Kashmir of his full support for their inalienable right to self-determination.

OIC Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Yousef Al-Dobeay visited Pakistan and Azad Kashmir on 2-6 March 2020, 7-12 November 2021, 11-12 December 2022, 10-14 October 2023, and most recently from 19-22 April 2025, to obtain first-hand information about the situation, and express solidarity with the Kashmiri people. During the visits in 2021, he was also accompanied by the Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, Mr. Tarig Bakheet. Comprehensive reports on the first two visits were circulated at the 47^th and 48^th CFM Sessions for consideration of Ministers. The delegation visited the Line of Control and met with the victims of cross-border bombings. The Special Envoy held talks with the Prime Minister and the Foreign. He also visited the Thota refugee camp and held talks with the President and the Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. A comprehensive report on the visit was submitted to the 15th Islamic Summit Conference held in The Gambia in 2024.

The OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir, comprising Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Niger and Pakistan, has met many times since India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019. The last meeting was held on the sidelines of the 80^th UNGA session in New York, USA, in 2025. The Contact Group issues strong statements/communiques at the culmination of its meetings in support of the Kashmir Cause. The Contact Group remains an important diplomatic instrument for coordinated OIC advocacy on the Kashmir dispute.

The OIC-Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) has a “Standing Mechanism to Monitor Human Rights Situation in IIOJK”. A delegation from the Commission also visited Pakistan and Azad Kashmir in 2019 and 2021 to take stock of the situation on the ground. The Commission continues to highlight human rights concerns in its reports and statements.

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