UN Security Council: India Tear into Pakistan for “Baseless References” to J&K
NEW DELHI, Mar 8: India considered it “unworthy” even to respond to Pakistan’s “baseless and politically motivated” references to Jammu and Kashmir at the United Nations’ Security Council when it was discussing on “women, peace and security.”
India tore into Pakistan after its foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari raised the issue of Jammu and Kashmir at the Security Council during an open debate on women, peace and security, saying it was “unworthy” to even respond to such “malicious and false propaganda”.
Speaking after Bhutto, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj termed his statement as “baseless and politically motivated.” “Before I conclude, let me dismiss the frivolous, baseless and politically motivated remarks made by the delegate of Pakistan regarding the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,” she said. Ms Kamboj said: “my delegation considers it unworthy to even respond to such malicious and false propaganda.”
“Rather, our focus is where it shall always be – positive and forward-looking. Today’s discussion is critically important to strengthen our collective efforts to accelerate the full implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda. We respect the topic of the debate and recognise the importance of time. As such, our focus shall remain on the topic,” she said.
Ms Kamboj’s sharp retort came after Pakistan Foreign Minister Zardari referred to Jammu and Kashmir in his remarks on Tuesday to the Council debate held under Mozambique’s Presidency for this month, on the eve of International Women’s Day. India has previously told Pakistan that the entire territories of the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have been, are, and shall always be part of India.
India has been maintaining that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan, while insisting that the onus is on Islamabad to create an environment that is free of terror and hostility for such an engagement.
The ties between India and Pakistan came under severe strain after India’s warplanes pounded a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist training camp in Pakistan’s Balakot in February 2019 in response to the Pulwama terror attack. The relations further deteriorated after India in August 2019 announced the withdrawal of Jammu and Kashmir’s special powers and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into Union Territories.
(Manas Dasgupta)
