India lashed out at Pakistan at UNSC, criticised it for malicious and despicable propaganda
India reprimanded Pakistan for its scurrilous statement and deplorable interference in its sovereign matter. Exercising its Right to Reply at the 46th special session of the UN Security Council on 24 February 2021, India’s permanent representative lashed out at Pakistan for lowering the dignity of the pious platform for its baseless and despicable propaganda. Pakistan’s Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari raised the issue of Kashmir at UN Security Council and termed it as a colonisation project.
“India has exploited the pandemic to accelerate the pace of its colonisation project” in Kashmir and to “consolidate its illegal and unilateral action of 5th August 2019,” she mentioned.
In a reply, India reiterated that there should not be an iota of suspicion on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. The entire Union territory area of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh is an integral and inalienable part of India. “We reiterate that the entire Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are an integral and inalienable part of India. The steps taken by the Government to ensure good governance and development in these Union Territories are our internal matter” as mentioned in the MEA statement.
Highlighting the grave human rights issues in Pakistan, India earmarked the pathetic conditions of Shias, Ahmadiyas, Hindus, Sikh and Christians and called out Islamabad to deliver the rights they are due. The condition of minority women is unsatisfactory and around 1000 women mostly within the age of 16-25 are abducted leading to force conversions and marriage every year.
It is evident that since the abrogation of special status from Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian government has been flanked by International pressure and witnessed bitter remarks on the issue of Human rights violations. Pakistan has utilised every platform to unite and utilized the international pressure to undo the changes. Diplomatic relationships between both nations have dwindled swiftly which is posing a challenge to peace and stability in the region.
India accused Pakistan of providing a haven to the terrorists and considered it as a threat to the entire humanity. “Pakistan has been the home and patron to the largest number of internationally proscribed terrorist entities and individuals in the world. As many as 126 individuals and 24 entities, sanctioned under the UN Security Council 1267 and 1988 Committees’ Lists, are associated with Pakistan. State-sponsored terrorism by Pakistan is a threat, not only to India but to other countries in the region and beyond”.
Bandwagoning with Pakistan and seconding its stand, Turkey utilised the forum to discuss the Kashmir issue. Turkey’s president has already termed it as a “burning issue” and demanded to solve the issue within UN resolution. India countered the arguments as factually incorrect and unwarranted references to India. It suggested Turkey peek out in its internal issue where it has trampled upon its civil society and comply with UN resolution rather than preaching it to others. India also deplored OIC’s for supporting Pakistan to initiate its anti-India propaganda.
In its concluding remarks, India reaffirmed to support, promote and protect Human Rights. “The Government of India is fully cognizant of its human rights obligations and committed to the promotion and protection of the human rights of our people,” the MEA statement added.