While deeply disappointed by the clear anti-Indian tenor of the two resolutions, India realises that collectively the OIC members have little choice but to support the Pakistan-instigated stand for fear of antagonising Islamabad.

Individually, almost all the OIC members have assured New Delhi of their understanding of the Indian position, but have at the same time expressed their helplessness or lack of clout at breaking the consensus at the OIC.The resolution on Kargil expresses its ``grave concern over the serious escalation caused by the heavy Indian artillery shelling and air strikes across the Line of Control''. The resolution, which would be laughable were it not so pathetic, "welcomes" Pakistan's "diplomatic initiative for defusing the situation", expresses deepconcern over the `dangerous escalation' along the LoC caused by ``Indian military deployment and violations of the LoC''.

Not surprisingly since the resolution was drafted by a contact group of which Pakistan is a leading member, it makes no mention of Pakistan's role in the conflict, except to ``urge India to exercise restraint'' and to respond to Pakistan's diplomatic initiative for defusing tension''.Over the years the OIC has been used by Pakistan to orchestrate an anti-Indian campaign over the Kashmir issue and the Islamic body has allowed itself to be dragged along.

But this time round there was a difference. The OIC meeting in Burkina Faso comes at a time when there is overwhelming evidence, acknowledged and condemned by the international community, that Pakistan had initiated the aggression against India by sending in its army regulars into Indian territory in Kargil.

Those familiar with the functioning of the OIC are aware that any OIC member can easily have a resolution passed against anon-member, since once it is cleared by the contact group there is no further discussion or review of the resolution which sails through the OIC summit meeting. It is this mode of functioning that Pakistan has exploited year after year in getting the OIC platform to pass anti-Indian resolutions on the Kashmir issue.

Though India has excellent relations with almost all the individual members of the OIC, many of who would in private express their helplessness in preventing the blatant misuse of the OIC by Pakistan, these same countries find that they are unable to challenge the consensus that prevails in the collective. Individually, many of these countries would tell India that at other international fora like the United Nations or at the UN Commission on Human Rights, they have always voted with India on Kashmir.