India, on Tuesday, made a statement that Pakistan was looking to differentiate the UN Rights Council to pave the way for its personal agenda in South Asia. Replying in response to a number of Kashmir related statements from Pakistan at the UN body’s 42nd Regular Session in Geneva, First Secretary Vimarsh Arya of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), brought some attention to the contradiction between Pakistan’s attempts to manipulate human rights in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Jammu and Kashmir have been, is and shall continue to be an integral part of India. Pakistan’s nefarious designs will never succeed because the people of India are united in their determination to preserve our territorial integrity along with our core values of democracy, tolerance, and unity in diversity,” he said in response to Pak’s statements.
Mr. Arya didn’t waste any time in bringing the discrimination faced by the minority religious communities and sects in Pakistan to the discussion table and also remarked that Islamabad has made peace with the fact “terrorism is the worst form of human rights abuse”. He mentioned that Pakistan has left no stone unturned in attempting to “politicize and polarise” the UN Human Rights Council by its “fabricated” narrative. He shed light on the fact that Pakistan has been running away from publishing official numbers of religious and ethnic groups that are facing “elimination” inside their country.
“Despite challenging circumstances, Jammu and Kashmir’s Civil Administration is ensuring basic services, essential supplies, normal functioning of institutions, mobility and nearly full connectivity. Democratic processes have been initiated. Restrictions are being eased continuously,” said Vijay Thakur Singh, Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs who led the special diplomatic team at Geneva.
India responded on this topic at the HRC meeting after the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet asked India to end the lockdown in Kashmir that was imposed after New Delhi ended the special status for Jammu & Kashmir on August 5.
