New Delhi: India has repeated that matters related to Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are "purely internal" and Pakistan cannot comment on its domestic matters. This statement comes after Pakistan’s caretaker prime minister raised the Kashmir bogey in his speech at the 78th session of UNGA on Friday.
New Delhi: India has repeated that matters related to Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are “purely internal” and Pakistan cannot comment on its domestic matters. This statement comes after Pakistan’s caretaker prime minister raised the Kashmir bogey in his speech at the 78th session of UNGA on Friday.
On Saturday, Petal Gahlot, First Secretary for second committee of General Assembly, said “Pakistan has become a habitual offender when it comes to misusing this August forum to peddle baseless and malicious propaganda against India.” She said that Pakistan does so to deflect the international community’s attention away from its own abysmal record on human rights.
India said Pakistan should immediately shut down its “terrorism infrastructure” and listed three steps for its neighbor to ensure peace in South Asia. Yesterday, Pakistan’s Mr Kakkar said Kashmir was the “key to peace” between the two neighbours. In response she said, “We reiterate that the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. Matters relating to the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are entirely internal to India. Pakistan has no right to comment on our domestic matters. Not there.”
India criticized Pakistan for having “the world’s worst human rights record”, especially with respect to minorities and women. Ms Gehlot said, “Pakistan would do well to get its house in order before taking the risk of pointing a finger at the world’s largest democracy.” She tried to remind Pakistan of a “glaring example of systemic violence against minorities” – the August incident in which several churches and Christian houses were burnt in Faisalabad district.
Citing a report by Pakistan’s own Human Rights Commission, Ms Gehlot said an estimated 1,000 women from minority communities are abducted, forcibly converted and married every year in Pakistan. “Stop cross border terrorism”
India also criticized Pakistan for providing safe haven to terrorists and asked its government to take action against the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks. “Pakistan has been the home and protector of the largest number of internationally designated terrorist entities and individuals in the world,” she said.
“Instead of engaging in technical sophistry, we call on Pakistan to take credible and verifiable action against the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks, whose victims are still awaiting justice after 15 years.” Ms Gahlot said that India also listed three steps to be taken by Pakistan to ensure peace in South Asia: “First, stop cross-border terrorism and immediately shut down its terrorism infrastructure. Second, stop Indian terrorism under its illegal and forcible occupation. Evacuate the areas. And third, stop it. serious and persistent human rights violations are taking place against minorities in Pakistan.”
