Right of Reply by India under Agenda Item 3 at the 43rd Session of the Human Rights Council (24 February – 20 March 2020) delivered by Ms. Mini Devi Kumam, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of India (Geneva, 06 March 2020)
Madam President,
India exercises its right of reply in response to the statement made by Pakistan under Agenda 3.
2. No amount of rhetoric from Pakistan can deny the fact that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. While harping on UNSC resolutions on Kashmir, Pakistan conveniently forgets that its intransigence and territorial ambition have made these resolutions redundant. If Pakistan has any respect for its obligations, it should have vacated the occupied territories in Jammu and Kashmir.
3. Pakistan is well advised to read relevant UN documents on the principles of the right to self-determination. In contravention to UN Charter, the principle can’t be an instrument to promote subversion and erode the political cohesion, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Member states. What is portrayed by Pakistan as the right to self-determination is actually State-sponsored cross-border terrorism and it means extending military, financial, logistical support to terrorists against India. Cross-border terrorism till date has killed more than 40000 lives in Jammu and Kashmir alone. Pakistan has no compunction in training children to be suicide bombers in other countries for its so-called geo-political purposes.
4. The Pakistani Army regularly attempts to push terrorists into India under the cover of heavy artillery shelling and use of other weapons. We faced 3200 unprovoked ceasefire violations by Pakistan in 2019 alone. Despite this continued aggression and the proxy war waged by Pakistan, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have repeatedly reposed their faith in the Indian democracy.
Madam President,
5. In contrast, the deep state in Pakistan have scrapped the right to self-determination to the people of Pakistan since its independence. Political dissidents and legitimate criticism in Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa face violent suppressions and killings and they found no traction in Pakistani media. No words can describe the despicable state of minorities unleashed by the security agencies and extremist elements in Pakistan.Enforced disappearances, extra-judicial killings, murders, abductions, detentions, custodial deaths, torture of the journalists, lawyers, human rights activists, representatives of local parties are carried out routinely by the Pakistani security forces.
6. In conclusion, Pakistan is reminded to respect its international obligations not to use terrorism as State policy against India and the World.
Thank you, Madam President.
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