Right of Reply at the High-Level Segment of the 58th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council (24 Feb – 4 Apr 2025), delivered by Mr. Kshitij Tyagi, Counsellor, Geneva, 26 February 2025
Mr. President,
- India is exercising its Right of Reply in response to the baseless and malicious references made by Pakistan. It is regrettable, yet unsurprising, to see Pakistan’s so-called leaders and delegates continuing to dutifully spread falsehoods handed down by its military-terrorist complex. Pakistan is even making a mockery of the OIC by abusing it as its mouthpiece, which is fooling nobody. We do not wish to dignify such propaganda, but are constrained to make a few simple points for the record.
- First, the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh were, are, and will always remain, an integral and inalienable part of India.
- Second, the unprecedented political, social, and economic progress in Jammu & Kashmir in the past few years, speaks for itself. These successes are a testament to the people’s trust in the Government’s commitment to bring normalcy to a region scarred by decades of Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism.
- Third, as a country where human rights abuses, persecution of minorities, and systematic erosion of democratic values constitute State policies, and which brazenly harbours UN-sanctioned terrorists, Pakistan is in no position to lecture anyone. Instead of its unhealthy obsession with India, Pakistan should focus on providing actual governance and justice to its own people.
Mr. President,
- It is unfortunate that this Council’s time continues to be wasted by a failed state, which thrives on instability and survives on international handouts. Its rhetoric reeks of hypocrisy; its actions, of inhumanity; and its governance, of incompetence. India remains focused on democracy, progress, and ensuring dignity for all its people – values that Pakistan would do well to learn from.
I thank you.
***
