UNSC: India Dismisses Pakistan Reference to Kashmir “Unwarranted and Habitual”
NEW DELHI, Nov 21: India has dismissed as “unwarranted and habitual” reference to Kashmir made by Pakistan during a United Nations Security Council meeting.
India’s retort came at the UN Security Council open debate on “Maintenance of International Peace and Security: Promoting, Sustaining Peace through Common Development.”
The debate was held under China’s Presidency after Pakistan’s UN envoy Munir Akram made a reference to Kashmir in his remarks. “I will take not more than a few seconds to dismiss the unwarranted and habitual remarks made by a Permanent Representative earlier against my country and I will not dignify them with a response here,” Counsellor in India’s Permanent Mission to the UN R Madhu Sudan said.
Pakistan consistently rakes up the issue of Jammu and Kashmir at various UN platforms, irrespective of the agenda and topic of discussion at the meetings and fails to garner any traction.
Tensions between India and Pakistan have spiked since New Delhi abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019. India’s decision evoked strong reactions from Pakistan, which downgraded diplomatic ties and expelled the Indian envoy.
India has categorically told the international community that the scrapping of Article 370 was an internal matter. It also advised Pakistan to accept the reality and stop all anti-India propaganda. India has told Pakistan that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Islamabad in an environment free of terror, hostility and violence.
(Manas Dasgupta)
