On September 24, 2025, the world’s attention turned once again to the complex and often volatile region of South Asia, as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir convened on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The gathering drew high-level delegations from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Niger, Azerbaijan, and representatives of the Kashmiri people, all united by a pressing concern: the political and security situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and the worsening state of human rights there.
Chaired by OIC Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Yousef M. Al-Dobeay, the Contact Group’s meeting came at a moment fraught with both tension and hope. Just months earlier, the region had witnessed a dangerous military escalation between nuclear-armed neighbors Pakistan and India, culminating in cross-border missile strikes and dozens of casualties—a situation that, as reported by UrduPoint and the Daily Times, drew urgent calls for restraint from the international community. The subsequent ceasefire, announced in May after four days of clashes, was widely welcomed by the OIC and global leaders alike as a desperately needed step back from the brink.
Yet, as participants in the Contact Group made clear, the ceasefire was only a temporary salve for a deeper, unresolved wound. According to the Joint Communiqué formally adopted by the Group and reported by AZERTAC, the OIC underscored that the Kashmir dispute remains a vital priority on its agenda. Delegates called for renewed efforts toward an early and peaceful resolution of the conflict, emphasizing that lasting stability in South Asia depends on settling the Jammu and Kashmir issue in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
Speaking on behalf of Pakistan, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi did not mince words. He expressed gratitude to the OIC and its member states for their steadfast support of the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination. Fatemi condemned what he described as India’s attempts to entrench its occupation through the use of draconian laws, repression, and demographic changes—a process, he noted, that has seen intensified human rights abuses and arbitrary detentions since August 2019. “Pakistan’s commitment to peace is unwavering,” Fatemi stated, stressing that “lasting stability in South Asia depends on resolving the Jammu and Kashmir dispute through genuine dialogue.”
Fatemi’s remarks echoed a broader sentiment among the Contact Group’s members, who reaffirmed their support for the legitimate struggle of the Kashmiri people to realize their inalienable right to self-determination. The group urged India to end its repression in IIOJK, release political prisoners, repeal restrictive and draconian laws, and allow Kashmiris to determine their own future under the framework of UN Security Council resolutions. They also called for the lifting of bans on Kashmiri political parties and the revocation of asset seizures targeting activists and dissenters, as highlighted in statements covered by the Daily Times and UrduPoint.
Adding an important international perspective, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed the General Assembly, calling for a peaceful settlement of the Kashmir dispute. Erdogan emphasized that stability in South Asia hinges on resolving this decades-old conflict through dialogue, not confrontation. He praised the recent ceasefire and counterterrorism cooperation between Pakistan and India, urging both nations to engage constructively and avoid actions that could further destabilize the region. “Lasting peace in South Asia is vital for regional security and economic growth,” Erdogan declared, drawing the attention of world leaders already grappling with a host of global crises.
The urgency of the situation was further underscored by the Contact Group’s condemnation of recent crackdowns in IIOJK, particularly in the wake of the Pahalgam attack on April 22, 2025. According to UrduPoint, the group expressed grave concern over the arrest of around 2,800 individuals and the demolition of approximately 30 houses in what they described as retaliatory actions by Indian authorities. The prolonged detention of thousands of Kashmiri political workers, dissenters, and human rights defenders, along with the banning of several Kashmiri political parties and the confiscation of activists’ properties, drew sharp criticism from the OIC members.
In a pointed rejection of India’s policies, the Contact Group reiterated its opposition to the “illegal and unilateral actions” taken by India on August 5, 2019, when New Delhi revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under its constitution. The Group stressed that any electoral exercises conducted in IIOJK under the Indian Constitution cannot substitute for the grant of the right to self-determination to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. This stance, reaffirmed in the Joint Communiqué and widely reported across participating media, reflects the enduring view among OIC members that the future of Kashmir must be decided by its people, not imposed by outside actors.
The Contact Group also called for practical steps to improve the situation on the ground. Among their recommendations was a request for the OIC-Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission to dispatch a fact-finding mission to Azad Jammu and Kashmir and the Line of Control, aiming to obtain firsthand information about the evolving situation. The group’s statement, as reported by AZERTAC and other outlets, further expressed solidarity with Pakistan and deep concern over recent military escalations, including what were described as unjustified strikes on Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Throughout the meeting, the Contact Group’s members repeatedly emphasized the need for maximum restraint and constructive dialogue, warning that continued instability in South Asia could have dire consequences not just for the region, but for international peace and security. The group welcomed the constructive efforts made by all countries to mediate and bring the two parties together, and praised the ceasefire as evidence that diplomacy can still prevail—at least for now.
As the session drew to a close, the Joint Communiqué adopted by the Contact Group left little doubt about the path forward. It called for renewed international efforts to secure a just and lasting solution to the Kashmir conflict, grounded in respect for human rights and the will of the Kashmiri people. While there was no immediate response from New Delhi to the OIC’s statements, the message from New York was clear: for the OIC and its allies, the Kashmir issue remains unresolved, and only a genuine, inclusive process can deliver peace to the region.
In the end, the OIC Contact Group’s meeting served as both a reminder of the enduring challenges facing Jammu and Kashmir and a renewed call for international engagement. Whether this latest round of diplomacy will yield tangible results remains to be seen, but for the millions affected by the conflict, the hope for a just and peaceful future endures.
