India slams Pakistan for raking up Kashmir at UNGA

Story by ANI | Posted by Tripti Nath | Date 23-09-2023

Petal Gahlot, First Secretary at UN for the Second Committee of UNGA

New York (United States)

India has hit out at Pakistan after the country's caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar predictably raised the Kashmir bogey in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly.

In its right of reply, the First Secretary at United Nations for the Second Committee of UNGA, Petal Gahlot said that Pakistan should vacate occupied areas of India and stop cross-border terrorism. She asked Pakistan to stop human rights violations against minorities in Pakistan.

Petal Gahlot said, "In order for there to be peace in South Asia, the actions that Pakistan needs to take are threefold first stop cross-border terrorism and shut down its infrastructure of terrorism immediately. Second, vacate Indian territories under its illegal and forcible occupation. And third stop the grave and persistent human rights violations against the minorities in Pakistan."

Indian diplomat reiterated that union territories of Jammu and Kashmir as well as Ladakh are integral parts of India and Pakistan has no "locus standi" to make statements regarding India's domestic matters.

"We reiterate that the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are an integral part of India. Matters pertaining to the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are purely internal to India," Petal Gahlot said.

"Pakistan has no locus standi to comment on our domestic matters. As a country with one of the world's worst human rights records, particularly when it comes to minority and women's rights, Pakistan would do well to put its own house in order before venturing to point a finger at the world's largest democracy," she added.

Indian diplomat slammed Pakistan for making "baseless and malicious propaganda" against India at the United Nations General Assembly.

In her remarks, Gahlot said, "Pakistan has become a habitual offender when it comes to misusing this august forum to peddle baseless and malicious propaganda against India. Member States of the United Nations and other multilateral organizations are well aware that Pakistan does so to deflect the international community's attention away from its own abysmal record on human rights."

Calling Pakistan home to the largest number of internationally proscribed terrorist entities, Gahlot urged Pakistan to take "credible and verifiable action" against perpetrators of the 2011 Mumbai terror attack.

"Pakistan has been the home and patron to the largest number of internationally proscribed terrorist entities and individuals in the world. Instead of engaging in technical sophistry, we call upon Pakistan to take credible and verifiable action against the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks whose victims await justice even after 15 years," Petal Gahlot said.

Highlighting the systemic violence against minorities in Pakistan, Petal Gahlot spoke about the conditions of Christians and Ahmadiyya communities. She spoke about the Jaranwala incident where churches and Christian houses were burnt down.

"A glaring example of the systemic violence against minorities in Pakistan was the large-scale brutality perpetrated against the minority Christian community in Jaranwala in Pakistan's Faisalabad district in August 2023 where a total of 19 churches were gutted and 89 Christian houses were burnt down," the Indian diplomat said.

She further said, "Similar treatment has been meted out to the Ahmadiyya whose places of worship have been demolished. The condition of women belonging to minority communities in Pakistan notably Hindus, Sikhs and Christians, remains deplorable."

She made reference to a report published by Pakistan's Human Rights Commission which revealed that 1000 women from minority communities were subjected to abduction and forced conversion and marriage.

"According to a recent report published by Pakistan's own Human Rights Commission, an estimated 1,000 women from minority communities are subjected to abduction and forced conversion and marriage in Pakistan every year," Petal Gahlot said.

Pakistan caretaker PM Kakar's remarks came during his address to the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York today. He said, "Pakistan desires peaceful and productive relations with all our neighbours including India," and added that "Kashmir is the key to peace between Pakistan and India."

India has repeatedly raised its concern over Pakistan's support of cross-border terrorism and has asserted that terror and talks cannot go together. India has also provided evidence at various international forums of Pakistan's support for Terrorist groups. Pakistan’s caretaker PM however harped on what he called the illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir.