Pakistan's foreign ministry says the world's largest body of Muslim-majority nations has adopted a resolution urging India and Pakistan to de-escalate tensions and resolve their issues "through peaceful means."
The ministry said in a statement Saturday that at the end of a meeting in Abu Dhabi, the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation "reaffirmed its unwavering support for the Kashmiri people in their just cause."
It said the OIC expressed concern over this past week's "Indian violation of Pakistani airspace; affirmed Pakistan's right to self-defense; and urged India to refrain from the threat or use of force."
The resolution came a day after Pakistan's foreign minister skipped the meeting to protest the host's decision to invite India, a nonmember.
Tensions between India and Pakistan have been running high since Indian aircraft launched a strike in Pakistan on Tuesday in response to a Feb. 14 suicide bombing in Indian-controlled Kashmir that killed 40 troops.
In related news, a top Indian minister said on Saturday the government would not share proof that "a very large number" of militants were killed in airstrikes inside Pakistan this week after doubts were raised there were any casualties in the attack that stoked tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals.
On Tuesday, Indian warplanes carried out airstrikes inside northeast Pakistan's Balakot on what New Delhi called militant camps. Islamabad denied any such camps existed, as did local villagers in the area when Reuters visited.
Nevertheless, Pakistan retaliated on Wednesday with its own aerial mission.
Pakistan said the Indian bombs hit a largely empty hillside without hurting anyone. Some Indian opposition leaders have asked the government to share evidence of the strikes.
The flare-up appeared to be easing on Saturday after Pakistan handed back a captured Indian fighter pilot on Friday night, amid efforts by global powers to prevent another war between the archenemies.
However, shelling across the Line of Control that acts as a de facto border in the disputed Kashmir region, a frequent feature in recent weeks, continued, said military officials on both sides.
