Uri attack: India garners support from OIC members to isolate Pakistan as a terror sponsor state

The UN Security Council's five permanent members - China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States - have condemned the Uri attack. After the attack, the government is now working to garner the support of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member countries.

Garnering support of OIC is a key element of India's diplomatic offensive, as Delhi tries to bring together international support to isolate Pakistan, the Indian Express reported.

Till now, New Delhi's diplomatic outreach has reached the major players in the OIC grouping - Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain. Extending their support, UAE and Bahrain supported any action by India - from confront and eradicate to an outright fight against terrorism.

Three of India's neighbours - Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Maldives - which are also OIC members, have already condemned the attack. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, had also called up PM Modi to extend it's support in India in the fight against terrorism. All SAARC member countries, including Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, have also condemned the attack.

According to a report in the Indian Express, the OIC is the most critical international grouping which has been vocal on the Kashmir situation in the past and has been toeing Pakistan's line on human rights violations over the last two months.

Although Qatar, another key member of the OIC, has condemned the attack, it has called it a "criminal attack", while reiterating its "stance rejecting violence and terrorism in all its forms and manifestations".

John Kirby, the US State Department spokesperson, said Sharif and Kerry "expressed strong concern with recent violence in Kashmir - particularly the army base attack - and the need for all sides to reduce tensions". Kerry also stressed the need for restraint in nuclear weapons programmes.