Second Right of Reply by India in response to the Statement made by Pakistan under the Agenda Item 2 at the 38^th Session of the Human Rights Council (18 June to 06 July, 2018) on Agenda Item 2, delivered by Ms Mini Devi Kumam [19 June 2018, Geneva] 

Mr. President,

India would like to exercise its second right of reply to the statement made by Pakistan.

2. We object to Pakistan raking up Jammu and Kashmir for it’s purely propagandist objectives. The biggest threat to peace and stability in Jammu and Kashmir comes from active promotion of cross border terrorism by Pakistan and the most basic right – right to life of the people of Jammu and Kashmir is constantly violated by Pakistan through the use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy.

3. The scale of the cross border terrorism that we deal with is evident from the loss of thousands of innocent lives in India over the last two decades. India has lost more than 14000 civilians and 5000 security personnel to terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. That security forces exercise maximum restraint despite great provocation is testified by the fact that 1936 security personnel were injured in 2017 alone. Pakistan harbours special terrorist zones, safe havens, sanctuaries and promotes terror financing. No action has been taken by Pakistan against the perpetrators of 26/11 Mumbai, Pathankot, Uri and other cross border terrorist attacks carried out by Pakistan based groups including Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen.

4. We urge the Council to stop Pakistan from wasting the valuable time of the Council on its baseless propaganda on Jammu and Kashmir. The world, as a whole, rather would be a much safer place if Pakistan abandons its policy of exporting terrorism to its neighbourhood and beyond.

Thank you, Mr. President.

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