Riyadh (TDI): The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Sunday urged Pakistan and India to de-escalate rising tensions and immediately resume dialogue, expressing serious concern over the deteriorating security situation in South Asia.
GCC Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi, speaking on behalf of the six-nation bloc, urged both countries to exercise restraint and prioritize diplomacy following the Pahalgam incident.
Albudaiwi strongly condemned the terrorist attack targeting tourists. He reaffirmed the GCC’s “principled and consistent position in rejecting all forms and manifestations of terrorism.”
“We urge restraint from all parties and call for immediate resumption of dialogue between Pakistan and India,” Albudaiwi said in a statement.
He emphasized the significance of resolving disputes peacefully according to international law and the United Nations Charter to ensure regional stability.
He also cautioned against scapegoating and the “rising tide of Islamophobia in the region,” warning that discriminatory rhetoric could further escalate tensions.
Read More: EU Urges Calm Amid Pakistan-India Tensions
Underlining the potential impact on international geopolitics, the Secretary-Greneral stressed that the situation between the nuclear-armed neighbors poses a grave threat to regional peace.
The GCC renewed its call for the global community to “intensify its efforts” toward finding a peaceful resolution to the long-standing issue of Kashmir, highlighting the need to adhere to relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.
The call for dialogue comes amid severely strained ties between Pakistan and India, with diplomatic interactions considerably reduced in recent years.
The GCC, a political and economic bloc comprising Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, reaffirmed its commitment to backing regional stability.
Read More: Political Parties Vow Joint Front Against Indian Aggression
Moreover, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s human rights arm also showed deep concerns over what it described as an alarming rise in Islamophobia and violence against Muslims in India and IIOJK after the Pahalgam attack.
The OIC’s Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission slammed the “unfounded scapegoating” of Muslim communities, attributing it to “far-right Hindu nationalist groups.” The commission urged New Delhi to protect its Muslim communities, uphold international human rights obligations, and bring perpetrators of hate crimes to justice.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
