Ministry of External Affairs Official Spokesperson's response to media queries on an update of the Report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir

July 08, 2019

In response to media queries on an update of the Report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the Official Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said:

"The update of the Report of the OHCHR is merely a continuation of the earlier false and motivated narrative on the situation in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Its assertions are in violation of India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and ignore the core issue of cross-border terrorism.

A situation created by years of cross-border terrorist attacks emanating from Pakistan has been ‘analysed’ without any reference to its causality. The Update seems to be a contrived effort to create an artificial parity between the world’s largest and the most vibrant democracy and a country that openly practices state-sponsored terrorism.

It is a matter of deep concern that this Update seems to accord a legitimacy to terrorism that is in complete variance with UN Security Council positions. The UNSC had, in February 2019, strongly condemned the dastardly Pulwama terror attack and subsequently proscribed Masood Azhar, the self styled leader of terrorist entity Jaish-e-Mohammed. However, in the update, terrorist leaders and organisations sanctioned by the UN are deliberately underplayed as "armed groups”.

The legitimisation of terrorism has been further compounded by an unacceptable advocacy of the dismemberment of a UN member State.

The entire state of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. Pakistan is in illegal and forcible occupation of a part of the Indian state, including the so called "Azad Jammu and Kashmir” and "Gilgit-Baltistan”, through aggression. We have repeatedly called on Pakistan to vacate these occupied territories.

The Update, by distorting India’s policies, practices and values, has undermined its own credibility. Its failure to recognize an independent judiciary, human rights institutions and other mechanisms in the Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir that safeguard, protect and promote constitutionally guaranteed fundamental rights to all citizens of India is unpardonable. Even more so, as it belittles constitutional provisions, statutory procedures and established practices in an established functioning democracy.

The prejudiced mindset of the Update has also chosen to wilfully ignore the determined and comprehensive socio-economic developmental efforts undertaken by the Government in the face of terrorist challenges.

We have registered our strong protest regarding the Update with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The release of such an Update has not only called into question the seriousness of OHCHR but also its alignment with the larger approach of the United Nations.

The Government of India follows the policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism and will take all measures to protect its territorial integrity and sovereignty against cross-border terrorism. Motivated attempts to weaken our national resolve will never succeed.”

New Delhi
July 08, 2019

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