How Pakistan failed to gain support of the Muslim world against India

After last week’s military clashes, India and Pakistan have ceased hostilities. Tensions ratcheted up between the two nuclear-armed neighbours following the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that left 26 people dead.

In response, India struck nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) under Operation Sindoor early May 7, leading to escalations that brought the two countries to the brink of war. While the world condemned the Pahalgam terror attack, Islamabad would have been hoping for the unequivocal backing of at least the Muslim nations after Operation Sindoor.

However, the latest conflict shows the hollowness of Pakistan’s claim of an “Islamic arc of support”.

Let’s take a look.

Only 2 Muslim nations backed Pakistan

After India’s missile strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and PoK, Turkey and Azerbaijan were the only two Muslim countries to come out in support of Pakistan.

Turkiye’s foreign affairs ministry condemned India’s “unprovoked aggression violating Pakistan’s sovereignty and killing innocent civilians”. It said Operation Sindoor raised the “risk of an all-out war.”

Turkey also called on both sides to “exercise common sense and refrain from unilateral actions.”

“We expect that measures will be taken to reduce tensions in the region as soon as possible and that the necessary mechanisms, including in the field of counter-terrorism, will be put in place to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents. We also support Pakistan’s call for an investigation into the 22 April terrorist attack," the Turkish foreign ministry said.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan also dialled Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on May 7, expressing his solidarity after India’s strikes, which Turkey said were “targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure.”

Erdogan also told Sharif that Turkey backed what he called Islamabad’s “calm and restrained policies” in the crisis, his office said in a statement.

Azerbaijan expressed solidarity with Pakistan after Indian strikes on terror bases. Its Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement backing Islamabad and said: “Being in solidarity with the people of Pakistan, we express condolences to the families of the innocent victims and wish a speedy recovery to those who were injured.

We call on all parties to exercise restraint and to resolve the conflict through diplomatic means.”

Muslim nations stand with India

Pakistan reportedly did not receive the support it expected during tensions with India.

“There were numerous discussions with diplomats and representatives from various countries, and during these interactions, no one expressed support for Pakistan. Even the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), with which India typically has limited engagement, showed restraint. India reached out to friendly nations within the OIC, and their statement came only after a delay, marked by a tone far less supportive than usual,” sources told ANI.

After the Pahalgam terror attack, the OIC had called for “deep concern over the deteriorating security situation in the South Asian region”, calling for restraint and dialogue between India and Pakistan.

It also urged the two sides to resolve differences “through peaceful means, in accordance with international law and the UN Charter”.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had dismissed the statement for refusing to acknowledge Pakistan’s links to terrorism.

Sources say that the recent tensions show that Pakistan’s claim that all Islamic countries stand behind it has been busted.

“Pakistan has long attempted to portray the entire Islamic world as being aligned with its stance, but this has not been the case. Saudi Arabia was particularly empathetic toward India, especially during the Prime Minister’s visit to Saudi Arabia when the Pahalgam attack occurred. Similarly, Malaysia condemned the attack in Pahalgam, calling it wrong. There was no Islamic arc of support to Pakistan,” they told ANI.

Muslim countries like Qatar, Iraq and Jordan had expressed solidarity with India after the Pahalgam terror attack last month. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in Saudi Arabia at the time, had rushed back to India after the massacre.

Saudi Arabia also engaged with both India and Pakistan to reduce tensions. After Operation Sindoor, Saudi Arabia’s deputy foreign minister made unannounced visits to both countries.

“They were upset that the mass killings happened in Pahalgam during PM Modi’s visit (to Saudi Arabia) and conveyed the message that they were ready to help if needed,” a source said.

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan called his Indian and Pakistani counterparts on Saturday, offering the kingdom’s services as a mediator. “During the telephone calls, discussions focused on efforts to put an end to the ongoing military clashes,” he said in a statement.

Farhan underlined the “kingdom’s commitment to regional security and stability, and its close and balanced relations with the two friendly countries”.

According to ANI sources, Saudi Arabia’s response to India was supportive, while Malaysia also decried the Pahalgam attack.

Iran had also expressed condolences after the Pahalgam carnage and offered mediation between India and Pakistan.

“India and Pakistan are brotherly neighbours of Iran, enjoying relations rooted in centuries-old cultural and civilisational ties. Like other neighbours, we consider them our foremost priority,” Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi wrote on X.

He also met top officials in India, a day after Operation Sindoor. This came a few days after his visit to Pakistan.

Algeria, an Islamic country in North Africa, which is a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) like Pakistan, was party to a resolution which stressed the “need to hold perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of the reprehensible act of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice”.

With inputs from agencies