Downgrading the OIC

IT has come as somewhat of a surprise to discover that neither the President nor the Prime Minister chose to attend the OIC’s Commerce Economic Summit held in Istanbul earlier this week. Given that most of the OIC members were represented by their Heads of State or government, the absence of the Pakistani leadership - given that only the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs was sent - was noticeable. This is especially so because Pakistan till now has seen itself as one of the leading players within the OIC. So the question is whether there has been a qualitative shift in our position on the OIC - the closest entity towards representation of the Muslim Ummah. Some would argue that the OIC has never mattered substantively in the global context in terms of pushing forward Muslim causes but that is not totally correct because it does remain a forum where issues like Palestine are highlighted. Also, Kashmir has found a presence there as well and India has desperately and unsuccessfully been seeking entry into this “club”. So it is an organisation where Pakistan has held sway so far, especially on the issue of Kashmir. After all, the UN has done virtually nothing on Kashmir and we all know its uselessness without US support, but why do our leaders continue to show their presence at the General Assembly session year after year, given how the GA resolutions are traditionally ignored by the powerful, and at great expense to the national exchequer?