Fabricated narrative by Pakistan: India on Kashmir at UN
On Tuesday, India refuted Pakistan's claims that human rights were being violated in Jammu and Kashmir. A five-member Indian delegation issued a statement at the ongoing United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session in Geneva, Switzerland. Referring to Pakistan, Vijay Thakur Singh, Secretary East, said, "The world is aware that this fabricated narrative comes from epicenter of global terrorism."
Notably, Islamabad has been lobbying hard to garner support from the international community in its rant against India after New Delhi revoked provisions of Article 370, which granted special status to J&K and bifurcated the border state into two UTs. To keep a check on violence, J&K was put under an unprecedented security cover, communication modes were suspended, and residents forced to stay indoors.
Now, attacking Pakistan for its "rhetoric", she said those who "abet, finance, support terrorism in any form on territory under their control are the worst violators of human rights." She further accused the neighboring country of "misusing this platform for malicious political agendas." Pointing to human rights violations in parts of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, she said, "They cry victim when they actually are the perpetrators."
Further, clearing India's intentions on Kashmir, Singh said, "Government is taking affirmative action by adopting progressive policies to promote socio-economic equality and justice." "As a result of recent legislative measures, these policies will now be fully applicable to our citizens in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. These will end gender-discrimination, better protect juvenile rights and make applicable rights to education, information, and work," she added.
Meanwhile, earlier today, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had raised the issue of India repealing Article 370 of the Constitution. Claiming that basic human rights were being pounded in Kashmir, Qureshi said, "Today, I have knocked on doors of the Human Rights Council, the repository of the world's conscience on human rights, to seek justice and respect for the people of Kashmir."
To note, Pakistan had raised similar issues at the UN last month, claiming that there were violations of the International Human Rights Law in Jammu and Kashmir. However, most of the participant nations sided with India saying that Kashmir was an "internal matter".
#WATCH live from Geneva: Secretary (East) MEA, Vijay Thakur Singh makes a statement on Jammu Kashmir at the UNHRC. https://t.co/A4jxnz9BhT
— ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2019
