India accused Pakistan of using cross-border terrorism as state policy during a UN Security Council debate….reports Asian Lite News Desk
India on Wednesday strongly criticised Pakistan at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), accusing Islamabad of using cross-border terrorism as an instrument of state policy and reiterating that Jammu and Kashmir “has always been, is, and will remain” an integral and inalienable part of India.
India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, made the remarks during the High-Level Open Debate of the UN Security Council on “Natural Resources Governance: the Foundation of Peace, Security and Prosperity.”
Responding to comments made by Pakistan during the debate, Harish accused Islamabad of misusing the forum to advance what he described as a false narrative on Kashmir.
“It was not our intention to bring other issues in this forum, but my delegation is compelled to respond to Pakistan, as it has chosen to misuse today’s discussion to peddle its false narrative,” Harish said.
Reaffirming India’s position on Jammu and Kashmir, he said, “For the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, it has always been, is, and will remain an integral and inalienable part of India. This is the constitutional and legal reality that Pakistan deliberately chooses to ignore.”
Harish also said the only unresolved issue concerning Jammu and Kashmir relates to what he described as Pakistan’s occupation of Indian territory.
“The only outstanding issue with regard to Jammu and Kashmir is the naked aggression and illegal occupation of India’s sovereign territory by Pakistan,” he said.
The Indian envoy also referred to the Indus Water Treaty, saying India’s position on the agreement remained unchanged while linking bilateral cooperation to Pakistan’s approach towards terrorism.
“Our position on the Indus Water Treaty remains clear and consistent. Cooperation on the basis of mutual trust and goodwill cannot be expected when cross-border terrorism is regularly deployed as an instrument of State policy,” Harish said.
Concluding his remarks, the ambassador urged Pakistan to focus on addressing its domestic challenges rather than criticising India.
“Instead of pointing fingers at India, Pakistan would serve itself and its people far better by putting its own house in order,” he said.
The exchange took place during the UNSC’s high-level debate on natural resources governance, where member states discussed the role of effective resource management in promoting peace, security and sustainable development.
