In the early 20th century, during the era of undivided India, the late Ahmed Shah Pitras Bokhari, in his famous satirical essay The Saint of Muridpur, wrote how the Congress party decided to hold its annual session in his town. When such a historic event takes place on one’s doorstep, he mused, what pious soul could resist attending?
A similar situation recently presented itself to me. Word came that Istanbul, the jewel of Türkiye, would host the 51st session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
For a journalist stationed in Türkiye, how could this opportunity be allowed to pass? The region was already ablaze — Israel’s war on Iran, Gaza’s tragedy — and I was equally drawn by the chance to meet the delegation of Burkina Faso, whose President Ibrahim Traoré has vowed to unite African nations against colonial powers. I registered for the conference and set off from Ankara to Istanbul. As an accredited journalist with the Turkish government, I was assured registration was a mere formality.
Istanbul deserves admiration: despite the presence of 57 foreign ministers and their entourages, life flowed uninterrupted. There were no road closures, no visible police cordons, no disruptions. Even approaching the conference venue, one would not guess that such a large assembly of VIPs was taking place. I recalled how, in Delhi, the arrival of a single foreign dignitary would paralyse traffic across the city.
Just last year, during the SCO summit in Islamabad, the entire city was brought to a standstill — wedding halls miles away from the venue were ordered shut. But Istanbul, accustomed to receiving foreign guests, seemed unfazed. A semi-circle of hotels near the venue meant most delegates simply walked to the hall.
At the conference reception, I learned to my dismay that my name was absent from the list. No one could explain why. After two hours of pleading — explaining I had travelled from Ankara for this event and was already checked into my hotel — I was finally escorted to the press gallery, a distant balcony high above the stage.
Only the opening session, I was told, was open to the media. Turkish officials kept apologising, embarrassed. Though I had registered, the OIC secretariat had omitted my name because of my Indian passport.
Journalists from India and Israel, I learned later, were barred from access on strange orders from the secretariat.
The conference’s first day ended with dramatic news: the US had attacked Iran, shifting the summit’s very nature. The next day, Iran’s foreign minister addressed the media briefly before leaving for consultations in Moscow, recalling Tehran’s vital support for Russia in Syria, and hoping for a return of favour.
Shifting Dynamics
The gathering revealed shifting dynamics. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia appeared to be reclaiming leadership roles once lost to Türkiye and Iran. Decades ago, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were the twin pillars of the OIC — Pakistan, with its skilled diplomats, often drafted the agenda; Saudi Arabia, hosting the secretariat and bankrolling operations, was its backbone.
But over time, Pakistan faded into the background, while Türkiye — especially under Erdoğan — emerged as a more active player. Saudi Arabia’s retreat opened doors for Qatar, the UAE, Malaysia, and Iran, though Tehran’s ideological stance limited its reach.
Now, with Pakistan’s assertiveness in the limited war with India and Iran’s standing bolstered by its conflict with Israel, both are seeking a renewed leadership role. Even Egypt, once central, has become irrelevant, while Qatar and Burkina Faso were notably active at this summit.
It looks a key realisation has emerged with the grouping: true power lies not only in politics or protest, but in education, media, and institutions. The OIC finally approved plans for a media forum — a decade-old idea — aimed at countering Islamophobia and shaping the Muslim world’s narrative.
In an age when perception wars precede diplomacy, telling “our own story” — free of distortion and bias — is no longer a cultural desire, but a strategic necessity. The media forum is set to be established in Istanbul.
Plans were also announced to establish a police cooperation centre, initially with seven member states, to foster stability, share intelligence, and reduce reliance on Western security frameworks.
An MoU with China’s Ministry of Education was inked, promising scholarships, exchanges, and joint research. A bid to craft development models free from Western conditions, offering Muslim youth pathways beyond dependency on the West. A strategic framework for higher education and scientific cooperation was unveiled, with over 20 Turkish universities joining hands to promote research and training.
The Missing Uyghurs
One glaring omission in the communiqué was mention of China’s Uyghur Muslims, even as the plight of the Rohingya was highlighted. The city of Istanbul, which hosted the conference, has a significant exiled Uyghur community. Therefore, this silence was striking.
Previous mentions of Uyghurs angered Beijing as much as the reference of Kashmir evokes reactions from India. But China found a solution. It appointed a special envoy to the OIC, offering annual tours of Xinjiang to delegations. The envoy has access to all the OIC deliberations, and all reports related to Xinjiang are vetted by him— a move that effectively silenced further criticism. A lesson perhaps for India, which might find dialogue more effective than complaint.
Foreign ministers agreed to establish a contact group to engage world powers aimed at de-escalation and accountability for Israeli aggression. They condemned Israel’s destabilising policies, warning of grave humanitarian, economic, and environmental consequences.
The summit praised Jordan’s custodianship of Jerusalem’s holy sites and UNESCO resolutions affirming the Islamic identity of Al-Aqsa Mosque. Erdoğan stressed that the OIC must not only address its own issues but also be a voice for the oppressed globally. He lamented divisions among Palestinian factions, calling it painful that while the Islamic world stands united for Palestine, its leaders are divided.
In a significant move, the OIC resolved to launch a joint diplomatic campaign at the UN to expose Israel’s nuclear weapons and press for its accession to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Erdoğan accused Western powers of hypocrisy — pressuring NPT signatories like Iran while ignoring Israel’s nuclear arsenal.
The Istanbul summit may yet mark the beginning of a new path — one of decisive action, moral leadership, and institutional strength. But whether the OIC will move beyond declarations to real implementation remains to be seen.
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