India's new name for Pakistan: "Special terrorist zone"
What's the story
After "Terroristan" and the "Ivy League of Terrorism," India has now christened Pakistan as "Special Terrorist Zone." This derives inspiration from the "special economic zone" concept. While talking about Pakistan at the United Nations Human Rights Council, India tweaked this to indicate its volatile neighbor's continuing support to terror and providing a safe haven to terrorists. Here are the details.
Epithets
India has given various monikers to Pakistan through the years
Earlier too, India has bestowed Pakistan with such sobriquets. In 2016, India had said the land of Taxila is the host to the "Ivy League of terrorism," attracting aspirants from across the world. Later, in 2017, India had indicated that Pakistan is Terroristan, with a flourishing industry producing and exporting global terrorism. This retort gained traction even in the Western press.
Pakistan's attack
Why did India's latest attack become necessary?
India's latest counter-attack became necessary after Pakistan accused it of "selective implementation" of UN resolutions. Pakistan's Permanent Representative Maleeha Lodhi was referring to the 1948 Council resolution: plebiscite in Kashmir and withdrawal of Pakistani "tribesmen" who entered the state. Incidentally, India has stressed that the tribesmen were Pakistani troops trying to annex Kashmir. Ironically, Lodhi slammed India for human rights violations in J&K.
India's retort
In retaliation, MEA's youngest officer called out Pakistan
Mincing no words, Mini Kumam, India's youngest officer in Geneva, slammed Pakistan's accusations. She said terrorism is the "grossest violation" of human rights and J&K terrorism is sustained due to Pakistan's support. She asked Pakistan to stop "masking its territorial ambitions and using terrorism as a state policy under the guise of human rights concern." She asked them to end cross-border infiltration, terror-financing.
Human rights
Kumam castigated Pakistan's "dubious talk" about human rights
Further, Kumam said "Council should be mindful of dubious concern for human rights coming from a country that systematically abuses" human rights of its minorities and people of Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. She was referring to the Pakistan government's crackdown of dissidents in these provinces. She slammed Pakistan's habit of misusing Geneva forum for making "misleading references about J&K's internal matters."