Pakistan becoming world’s terrorism factory: India at UNHRC

HIGHLIGHTS

• India today slammed Pakistan for abetting cross-border terrorism at the UNHRC meet in Geneva.
• Pakistan has alienated its own people through continued mistreatment of minorities, India tells UNHRC.
• India also expressed concern over the rising sectarian conflict and economic hardship in the PoK.

NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday slammed Pakistan for abetting cross-border terrorism at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, saying that the neighbouring country is becoming world’s terrorism factory.

“Apart from becoming world’s terrorism factory, Pakistan has also alienated its own people through continued mistreatment of minorities,” NabanitaChakrabarti, Indian diplomat to the UNHRC in Geneva, said.

“Minorities in India have been Prime Ministers, Presidents, Vice-presidents, Cricket team captains -can the minorities of Pakistan claim even the shadow of this? Chakrabarti said while lashing out at Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, relentless abuse and violation of minorities human rights.

She also blamed Pakistan for destabilising Jammu and Kashmir by promoting infiltration and cross-border terrorism.

“Pakistan backed terror outfits are main challenge to protecting human rights of our citizens in the state of Jammu and Kashmir,” she said, in response to the Pakistan’s statement during the 34th Session of the Council.

“Pakistan’s selective approach in tackling terror groups operating outside Pakistan and within, despite the numerous solemn promises made underscores the continuing unwillingness to acknowledge the truth,” Chakrabarti said.

Asserting that terrorism is the “grossest violation of human rights and should be so acknowledged by any impartial and objective observer”, she said that the Pakistan has again chosen to misuse the council’s platform to make fallacious references about our “internal matters pertaining to the state of Jammu and Kashmir.”

She also expressed concern over the rising sectarian conflict and economic hardship in the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir due to neighbouring country’s “occupation and discriminatory policies.”

“The Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir is part of a pluralistic and secular democracy, where an independent judiciary, and active media and a vibrant civil society guarantee freedoms, she said while claiming PoK is administered by a “deep state” and has become hub for the global export of terror.

She further emphasised that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and the situation there is an internal matter of the country.

“Pakistan must rein in its compulsive hostility towards India and demand that they (Pakistan) should fulfil its obligation to vacate illegal occupation of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.”

On March 2, Pakistan’s minister for Law and Justice Zahid Hamid had said that Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognised issue pending final settlement through a free and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices, as enunciated in numerous resolutions of the Council.

He had also rejected alleged Indian attempts to divert the attention of the international community from the human rights situation in Kashmir by equating it to terrorism.