Right of Reply by India under Agenda Item 8 : General Debate on the Follow-up and implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action at the 45^th Session of the Human Rights Council (14 September – 07 October 2020) delivered by Mr. Vimarsh Aryan, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of India [Geneva, 01 October 2020]

Madam President,

I am exercising India’s right of reply in response to the reckless propaganda that was evident in the statement of Pakistan.

2. As a responsible member of this Council India would like to remind Pakistan that the agenda under discussion is Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (VDPA). Nevertheless, what we all have been witnessing in this session so far is incessant and insensible ranting by Pakistan, that has only exposed their ulterior motive of hijacking and abusing every single agenda of this Council to peddle their mendacious narrative aimed at maligning my country.

Madam President,

3. Whenever this Council discusses the rights of minorities, the draconian State of Pakistan dares to talk about the rights of minorities in egalitarian India without realising that their responsibility is to protect people like Asif Pervaiz, a Christian man from Lahore who was recently sentenced to death under draconian blasphemy laws of Pakistan.

4. Whenever this Council discusses the rights of women, the barbaric State of Pakistan dares to talk about the rights of women in an inclusive democracy like India without realising that their responsibility is to protect women like Parsha Kumari who was recently abducted, forcibly converted and married to her abductor with impunity in Sindh province of Pakistan.

5. Whenever this Council discusses the rights of children, the ruthless State of Pakistan dares to talk about the rights of children in a progressive democracy like India without realising that their responsibility is to protect children like Shahid Shah, a 3-year-old Shia child from Gujranwala, against whom a bizarre FIR has been lodged by Pakistani police.

6. Whenever this Council discusses the rights of journalists, the deep State of Pakistan dares to talk about the rights of journalists in an open democracy like India without realising that their responsibility is to protect honest journalists like Bilal Farooqi who is being tortured by Pakistani Army in Karachi, as we speak.

7. Whenever there is a discussion on terrorism the failed State of Pakistan plays the victim card so as to distract international community’s attention from the reality that Pakistan is unabashedly harbouring and supporting UN proscribed terrorists and terrorist organizations.

Madam President,

8. Above facts only expose the Pakistani shenanigan of running with the hare and hunting with the hound!

9. Lastly, I would invoke VDPA to remind Pakistan that it should abjure its territorial ambition which is grossly violative of every single international treaty and declaration on human rights. Instead they should practice tolerance towards their minorities and good neighbourliness towards us so that the South Asian region sees the eternal peace the absence of which can mostly be attributed to Pakistan.