Kashmir to Palestine: The OIC’s Growing Irrelevance in Muslim Crises

An undisputable truth was a strenuous charge. As Former Prime Minister Imran Khan stood before the audience at the 48th Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Islamabad, he did not waver in his words: “We have failed both the Palestinians and the people of Kashmir. I am sad to say that we have been able to make no impact at all.” Khan shattered the deception of the OIC’s efficacy in this single truthful moment, forcing the audience to confront the stark reality that an organization that once prided itself as “the collective voice of the Muslim world” is losing its impact when it should be making a difference. Depicting the OIC’s growing irrelevance in Muslim crises.

Since its creation in 1969, the OIC has served as the central platform for the Muslim world to address its collective challenges. Established in response to the attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque, the organization was meant to be a symbol of unity and a protector of Muslim rights. However, marking OIC’s growing irrelevance in Muslim crises, the organization has fallen short in its efforts to address the pressing crises facing Muslim communities. From the streets of Kashmir to the shut-off neighborhoods of Gaza, the cries for justice have echoed back with blaring silence.

Words without Deeds: The OIC’s Uselessness Exposed

Prime Minister Khan’s remarks did not come in a vacuum. The repeated inability to transform rhetoric into action resulted in the disappointment of the masses with the OIC. Their grand declarations have been as hollow as empty promises, offering little more than fleeting hope for the Kashmiris, trapped in the shadows of Indian occupation, and the Palestinians, enduring decades of systematic oppression. Khan’s stark observation that “Western countries do not take the OIC seriously because we are a divided house, and those powers know it” mirrors a rough truth that internal divisions have rendered the organization impotent in the face of adversities that demand a united response.

The OIC’s paralysis is rooted in its internal divisions, which Khan aptly described as a “divided house.” Saudi Arabia and Iran, the two dominant players, are more focused on one-upping each other than working together to address the pressing issues facing the Muslim world. The OIC’s growing irrelevance in Muslim crises is exacerbated by this rivalry, which has turned the organization into a playground for geopolitical games.

For instance, while Riyadh sees the OIC as an extension of its diplomatic outreach, Tehran has sought to use it as a platform to bridge the differences between the two capitals. The result? An organization whose policy on Palestine and Kashmir shifts with the ebb and flow of bilateral ties rather than the cries of the oppressed. Smaller nations, unable to escape the shadow of these regional giants, have largely adopted a policy of inaction, opting for silence rather than confrontation.

Former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s poignant words at the same summit captured the predicament of those left behind: “The Muslims of Palestine and the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) are still reeling under abominable subjugation. For the last seven decades, they have struggled to achieve their inalienable right to self-determination.” Symbolizing the OIC’s growing irrelevance in Muslim crises by portraying idea that internal dissonance has prevented the realization of self-determination, keeping it a distant dream.

Symbolism without Substance: The Case of Palestine and Kashmir

Palestine, once the central cause of the OIC, remains a stark reminder of the organization’s ineffectiveness. As Imran Khan pointed out, the ongoing theft of Palestinian land through illegal settlements and demolished homes is a damning indictment of the OIC’s failure to act. Similarly, India’s revocation of Article 370 in Kashmir was met with nothing more than empty words from the OIC. No emergency session, no sustained diplomatic campaign, and no meaningful support for the besieged Kashmiris.

Rather, the OIC’s response has been formulaic, stating “deep concern,” requesting “restraint,” and requesting a conversation. The victims of these battles see a terrible parody of events in these words, which are repeated endlessly and have turned them into a painful irony, representing OIC’s growing irrelevance in Muslim crises. It’s not like the OIC doesn’t know about the circumstances. It is unwilling to turn this understanding into substantive involvement because of its internal discord and lack of political drive.

The Path Forward: Reform or Relinquish?

The ramifications of the OIC’s ineffectiveness are significant. According to Khan, “Unless the OIC is united on core issues, human rights abuses would keep happening.” Unity is still obscure, though. The organization needs to make a decision on whether it will remain a dispersed group of countries united by a common religion but divided by politics, or if it will become a unified front that can protect the rights of its citizens.

Beyond the meaninglessness of resolutions, a reformed OIC would have to address the structural issues that have limited its efficacy. It would necessitate a shift from top-down orders to grassroots involvement, in which the agenda is set by the opinions of people who are most affected by the conflict. It would include making daring decisions, even if it meant opposing strong member nations whose objectives might be at odds with the interests of the group as a whole.

With the stakes rising higher than ever, the OIC can no longer afford to remain a silent spectator. As the fires of injustice continue to burn in Palestine and Kashmir, the OIC’s response—or lack thereof—will determine whether it emerges as a true champion of the oppressed or fades into obscurity as a relic of failed diplomacy. As Khan urged, “We are 1.5 billion people, yet our voice against this blatant injustice is insignificant.” It is time for the OIC to find its voice before it is drowned out by the cries of those it has failed to protect.