India sharply criticized the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Tuesday for its recent statement regarding escalating tensions with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) dismissed the statement as "absurd" and claimed it was issued at Pakistan's request.

The Indian government's response came after the OIC failed to mention the Pahalgam terrorist attack while urging both nations to "resolve differences through peaceful means." The OIC statement also adopted Pakistan's terminology by referring to Kashmir as a "dispute" rather than an issue.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal firmly rejected the OIC's interference in India's internal matters. "The OIC statement, issued at the behest of Pakistan, is absurd in refusing to recognize the facts of the Pahalgam terrorist attack and its cross-border linkages," Jaiswal stated.

The MEA further characterized the statement as "yet another attempt by Pakistan, a country that has long engaged in cross-border terrorism, to manipulate and misguide the OIC to issue a self-serving statement."

The controversy deepened when the OIC called on the international community to "intensify efforts to find a resolution to the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in line with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions," effectively echoing Pakistan's position. India has consistently maintained that Kashmir is a bilateral issue and has rejected any third-party mediation.

Meanwhile, a closed-door UN Security Council meeting, requested by Pakistan, concluded without any official statement or resolution. During this meeting, Pakistan's UN Representative Asim Iftikhar Ahmad attempted to divert attention from the Pahalgam attack by raising the Kashmir issue and accusing India of military buildup. Ahmad also characterized India's recent suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty as an "act of aggression."

As tensions remain high following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, India has scheduled nationwide security preparedness drills for Wednesday. These exercises, focusing on first-response training for scenarios like air raid sirens and blackouts, will be conducted at 259 locations across 33 states and union territories—the first such drills since 1971.