Right of Reply by India at the 40th Session of Human Rights Council (25 February – 22 March 2019) in response to the Statement made by Pakistan under the High Level Segment, delivered by Ms. Mini Devi Kumam, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of India [Geneva, 28 February 2019)
Mr. President,
India exercises its right of reply to Pakistani propaganda. We are not surprised that Pakistan whose statecraft revolves around cross border terrorism and aggression aimed at destabilization of peace and development of its neighbourhood will resort to such tactics.
2. Its not a rhetoric that Pakistan’s tryst with terrorists and terrorism as a state policy continue unabated. It is the country which protected Osama Bin Laden and Mullah Omar and is the host and patron to 132 UN-designated terrorists and 22 terrorist entities under 1267 and 1988 UNSC sanctions regime. The repeated warnings from FATF to Pakistan only expose its dubious commitments to counter terror financing.
Mr. President,
3. The terrorist attack in Pulwama this month perpetrated by Jaish-e-Mohammed, a Pakistan-based UN proscribed terrorist organisation is only one of such terror attacks against India. My delegation regrets continuing denial by Pakistan’s political and military leadership of the presence of terrorist infrastructure in territories under its control. A dossier has been handed over by my government to Pakistan yesterday with specific details of JeM complicity in Pulwama terror attack and the presence of JeM terror camps and its leadership in Pakistan. India expects Pakistan to take immediate and verifiable action against terrorism emanating from territories under its control. Aggression is what Pakistan embarked on against India in 1947, 1965 and 1999 driven by its territorial ambitions over Kashmir.
4. While harping on “Plebiscite”, Pakistan forgets that it never met its obligations to first vacate the occupied territories in accordance to UN resolutions. Pakistan can’t misuse the principle of self-determination as an instrument to erode territorial integrity and sovereignty of any member state. Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and its accession to India was legal and is irrevocable.
5. India rejects any futile attempt by Pakistan to revive the so called remote and motivated report on Kashmir that reflected individual malice and prejudice. India’s pluralistic democracy with its vibrant democratic institutions are mature enough to guarantee freedoms and rights to all its people. Pakistan which has never enjoyed a true democracy has successfully ensured that the people of PoK and territories under its control have no access to basic freedoms and rights.
6. India reiterates that the OIC has no locus standi to comment on internal affairs of India. It is well advised to not allow itself to be misused by an errant member whose only contribution to the region and the world has been the malice of terrorism.
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