India hits back at Pakistan PM over Kashmir statement at UNGA: ‘Hypocrisy at its worst’
India, in a strong Right to Reply on Friday, slammed Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over his statement on Kashmir at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), describing it as “hypocrisy at its worst”.
India exercised its Right of Reply in the UN General Assembly on Friday in response to Shehbaz Sharif raising the issue of Jammu and Kashmir in his address at the General Debate of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.
Addressing a session at UNGA, Indian diplomat Bhavika Mangalanandan said a country run by the military, with a global reputation for terrorism, narcotics, trade and transnational crime, has had the “audacity to attack the world’s largest democracy”.
“This assembly regrettably witnessed a travesty this morning. I speak about the reference to India in the speech of the Pakistani PM. As the world knows, Pakistan has long employed cross-border terrorism as a weapon against its neighbours. It has attacked our parliament, our financial capital, Mumbai, marketplaces and pilgrimage roots. The list is long. For such a country to speak about violence anywhere is hypocrisy at its worst. It is even more extraordinary for a country with a history of rigged elections to talk about political choices that, too, in a democracy,” the Indian diplomat said.
“…The real truth is that Pakistan covets our territory and, in fact, has continuously used terrorism to disrupt elections in Jammu and Kashmir, an inalienable and integral part of India,” Bhavika Mangalanandan added.
Giving out a warning to Pakistan, India said the neighbouring country should realise that cross-border terrorism against India will “inevitably invite consequences”.
“It is ridiculous that a nation that committed genocide in 1971 and which persecuted its minorities relentlessly even now, dare speak about intolerances and phobias. The world can see for itself what Pakistan really is. We are talking about a nation that for long hosted Osama bin Laden. A country whose fingerprints are on so many terrorist incidents across the world, whose policies attract the dregs of many societies to make it their home,” she added.
Calling Sharif’s remarks over Kashmir “unacceptable”, the diplomat said that Pakistan will seek to counter the truth with more lies.
“Repetition will change nothing. Our stand is clear and needs no reiteration,” Bhavika Mangalanandan said.
Pakistan has been continuously raising the Kashmir issue at several UN platforms, even when they fail to get any support on its statements. However, India has maintained that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are, and always will be an integral part of the country.
What Pakistan PM said
Sharif, addressing the General Debate of the 79th session of the UNGA on Friday, once again raked up the Kashmir issue, making references to Article 370 and Hizbul terrorist Burhan Wani.
In his over 20-minute speech, he urged India to reverse the abrogation of Article 370 to “secure durable peace.” He also asked India to enter into a dialogue for a peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir issue in accordance with the UN Security resolutions and the “wishes of the Kashmiri people.”
Sharif went on to draw a parallel between the Palestinians and the Kashmiris, saying, “Similarly, like the people of Palestine, the people of Jammu and Kashmir too, have struggled for a century for their freedom and right to self-determination.”
He also alleged Muslims are being targeted in India and claimed that the escalation of Islamophobia is a troubling global development. “The most alarming manifestation of Islamophobia is the Hindu supremacist agenda in India. It aggressively seeks the subjugation of 200 million Muslims and the obliteration of India’s Islamic heritage,” he said.