- Qureshi skipped OIC meeting of foreign ministers this weekend in protest over invitation to India
- Foreign office says new resolution sponsored by Pakistan expresses grave concern over 鈥淚ndian violation of Pakistani airspace鈥�
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan鈥檚 Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said a resolution adopted by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) at a high-level meeting in Abu Dhabi this weekend had endorsed Pakistan's stance on the disputed Kashmir region.
In light of a recent flare-up of tensions between India and Pakistan last week, Qureshi had decided to skip the OIC鈥檚 46th council of foreign ministers because his Indian counterpart had been invited to the event as a guest of honour.
On Saturday, Qureshi said in a Twitter post that the OIC had 鈥渆ndorsed Pakistan鈥檚 stance on Kashmir鈥� and 鈥渃ondemned Indian terrorism in Kashmir.鈥�
鈥淭he OIC, recognising Pakistan's right to self defence, denounced Indian aggression,鈥� he said.
Pakistan and India have fought three wars since they gained independence from the British in 1947, two of them over the disputed Kashmir Valley that they both claim in full but rule in part.
In a statement released on Saturday night, Pakistan鈥檚 Foreign Ministry said OIC member states had adopted a new resolution sponsored by Pakistan, which expressed grave concern over the 鈥淚ndian violation of Pakistani airspace; affirmed Pakistan鈥檚 right to self-defence; and urged India to refrain from the threat or use of force.鈥�
鈥淭his OIC resolution on regional peace and security in South Asia also welcomed Prime Minister Imran Khan鈥檚 renewed offer of dialogue to India and the goodwill gesture of handing over the Indian pilot,鈥� the statement said.
The OIC also elected Pakistan as a member of its Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission from the Asian region.
On Saturday, tensions between nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan appeared to cool down after Pakistan handed back a captured Indian fighter pilot on Friday night. But shelling continued across the Line of Control border that divides Kashmir Valley into two, one administered by Pakistan, the other by India.
Hostilities escalated rapidly last month following a suicide car bombing in which at least 40 Indian paramilitary police were killed in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Pakistan-based Jaish-e Mohammad Islamist group claimed the bombing and India promised a 鈥渟trong response.鈥�
Indian warplanes carried out airstrikes on Tuesday inside Pakistan, claiming it had hit militant camps. Pakistan retaliated on Wednesday with its own aerial mission, bringing the nations to the brink of war.