Mr. Chairman (Hon’ble Foreign Minister of Türkiye),
Secretary-General H.E. Hissein Brahim Taha,
Hon’ble Foreign Ministers,
Excellencies,

Brothers and Sisters,

1. At the outset, I extend warm felicitations to Türkiye on assuming the Chairmanship of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers. We also commend the Secretary-General and the OIC Secretariat for their tireless service to the Ummah.

Excellencies,

2. We meet at an hour of great trial. From the besieged streets of Gaza to the occupied valleys of Kashmir, from desecrated mosques in many lands to the scourge of terrorism, the Ummah faces grave challenges. The OIC must rise to the occasion with unity and resolve, as a voice of justice, of principle, and of truth.
3. The tragedy of Palestine pains the entire Islamic world. The horrors being endured by our Palestinian brothers and sisters defy belief. Civilians are being bombed, starved, and denied medicine. This is not warfare; this is extermination. It must end.
4. The OIC must press for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, full Israeli withdrawal, and unhindered humanitarian access. We must never waver in pursuit of a sovereign, viable, contiguous State of Palestine, based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, and early admission of the State of Palestine as a full UN Member.

Excellencies,

5. Jammu & Kashmir is another common cause. The people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir have been dispossessed, silenced, and denied their fundamental right to self-determination. Since India’s unlawful actions of 5 August 2019, repression has intensified: nearly a thousand Kashmiris killed; thousands detained; mosques sealed; leaders silenced.
6. The OIC has always stood with the Kashmiri people — the resolutions adopted at the 51^st CFM in Istanbul are testimony to that solidarity. India must repeal its draconian laws, release political prisoners, withdraw forces from civilian areas, and let the Kashmiris exercise their Security Council-mandated right to self-determination.
7. We are also grateful for the OIC’s support and solidarity with Pakistan in the wake of India’s illegal and unwarranted aggression against Pakistan on 6-7 May 2025 resulting in the martyrdom of 54 innocent civilians including women and children. Pakistan exercised its right to self-defence with a befitting and proportionate response to India’s military misadventure, demonstrating restraint and responsibility, and accepting, from a position of strength, a ceasefire facilitated by our friends.  

Excellencies,

8. We must confront the surging tide of Islamophobia — a global epidemic and the most insidious racism of our age, whereby Muslims are profiled, mosques desecrated, Islamic symbols banned, our faith vilified. In our own region, India has become the hub of Islamophobia, where 200 million Muslims face daily humiliation, systemic discrimination and violence.
9. The OIC has not remained silent. Through our collective action, 15 March is now the International Day to Combat Islamophobia. In 2024, the UN General Assembly — at the OIC’s initiative — adopted a landmark resolution leading to the historic appointment of Mr. Moratinos as the first UN Special Envoy on Islamophobia. We now expect the UN Secretary-General to finalize the Action Plan to combat Islamophobia.

Excellencies,

10. Terrorism continues to afflict many of our countries. Pakistan has borne the brunt of this scourge: over 80,000 lives lost, economic losses of more than $150 billion. Externally sponsored groups like the TTP Fitna al-Khawarij, BLA, and Majeed Brigade have carried out heinous attacks, including on civilians and schoolchildren. The OIC must stand united against all forms of terrorism — from violent extremists to far-right Islamophobic groups — and press for reforms in the global counter-terrorism architecture.
11. Afghanistan remains a core concern. Pakistan seeks early normalization. The humanitarian response is gravely underfunded. At the same time, we expect the Afghan Interim Government to respect human rights, ensure political inclusion, and prevent its soil from being used for terrorism. Firm action must be taken against all terrorist groups operating there. Pakistan will continue to support every effort for a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Afghanistan.

Excellencies,

12. United Nations peacekeeping has saved countless lives. OIC Member States form the backbone of Troop and Police Contributions. We support modernized, well-resourced missions with clear mandates focused on civilian protection, safety of peacekeepers, women’s participation, technology-enabled operations, robust training, and zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse. We also back sustainable financing, and stronger AU-UN cooperation.

Excellencies,

13. The OIC — the world’s second-largest international organization — must claim its rightful place in shaping a fairer global order: driving economic recovery, accelerating the SDGs, confronting climate change, and advancing equitable frameworks for finance, trade, and taxation. We must align for an ambitious outcome in the UN Tax Convention negotiations, and for early materialization of commitments made at the FfD4 Conference.
14. Pakistan supports revitalization of the UN system, including a reformed Security Council with adequate representation of the OIC.

Excellencies,

15. During our ongoing term on the UN Security Council, Pakistan has advocated with clarity and conviction all common causes of the Muslim world. During our Presidency of the Council in July, Pakistan also organised a Briefing on UN-OIC cooperation to explore avenues for strengthening cooperation in areas such as preventive diplomacy, dispute resolution, counter-terrorism, peacekeeping, and peacebuilding. We also secured the adoption of a Presidential Statement from the Council.
16. Generations to come will not quote our speeches; they will live with the consequences of our choices and actions. Let us therefore resolve — here, together, as the Ummah — that we will not falter, we will not divide, and we will not be silenced, until justice is served for all Muslims facing oppression anywhere in the world.

I thank you.

New York

26th September 2025