Kashmir dispute takes centre stage at UNGA as Pak rakes up matter; India calls for vacating occupied areas
Kashmir dispute at UNGA: India has lashed out at Pakistan after caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar raised the Kashmir issue in his speech to the United Nations General Assembly.
Petal Gahlot, the First Secretary at the United Nations for the Second Committee of the UNGA, stated in its right to reply that Pakistan should vacate occupied areas of India and put an end to cross-border terrorism. She urged Pakistan to stop human rights violations against minorities.
"In order for there to be peace in South Asia, the actions that Pakistan needs to take are threefold first stop cross-border terrorism and shut down its infrastructure of terrorism immediately. Second, vacate Indian territories under its illegal and forcible occupation. And third stop the grave and persistent human rights violations against the minorities in Pakistan," Gahlot stated.
The Indian diplomat reaffirmed that the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, as well as Ladakh, are vital parts of India and that Pakistan lacks "locus standi" to make statements about India's domestic affairs.
"We reiterate that the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are an integral part of India. Matters pertaining to the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are purely internal to India."
"Pakistan has no locus standi to comment on our domestic matters. As a country with one of the world's worst human rights records, particularly when it comes to minority and women's rights, Pakistan would do well to put its own house in order before venturing to point a finger at the world's largest democracy," Gahlot added.
At the United Nations General Assembly, the Indian diplomat criticized Pakistan for spreading "baseless and malicious propaganda" against India.
"Pakistan has become a habitual offender when it comes to misusing this august forum to peddle baseless and malicious propaganda against India. Member States of the United Nations and other multilateral organizations are well aware that Pakistan does so to deflect the international community's attention away from its own abysmal record on human rights."
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- ANI
