At UNSC, Pakistan urges India to end state terrorism, hold dialogue

UNITED NATIONS, MAY 24 (DNA): Saima Saleem, Counsellor on Human Rights for Pakistan’s Permanent Mission to United Nations, has categorically called on India to stop state terrorism and initiate meaningful dialogue.

Saima said this in response to India’s statement during the UN Security Council’s open debate. She said that India has once again resorted to misleading information, deflection and denial.

“No amount of obfuscation can hide the facts, India brazenly kills and maims civilians in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), carried out blatant aggression against Pakistan targeting civilians and sponsors terrorism and assassinations in my country and across the globe,” the counsellor told the 15-member council.

Targeting the Modi government’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty after the Pahalgam incident, she said India had even stooped to a new low of impeding the flow of rivers that serve as a lifeline for the 240 million people of Pakistan. Water is not a weapon of war, she added.

Pointing to the assassination of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada and the conspiracy to assassinate Sikh leader Gurpatwant Singh in the US, Saima reminded the Security Council that India sponsors terrorism and target killings not only in Pakistan but across the world.

She said that Pakistan, along with the international community, condemned the Pahalgam incident.

“If India had nothing to hide, it should have agreed to credible, impartial and independent investigations into the incident,” the Pakistani delegate said. “On the contrary” she added, “India continues to subject people of IIOJK to state-sponsored terrorism to suppress their legitimate freedom struggle.”

At least 26 people were killed in the April 22 attack on tourists in the scenic part of IIOJK, Pahalgam. Following which, India immediately blamed Pakistan for the attack without providing a shred of evidence corroborating the claim, which has been denied by Islamabad, and launched a series of small cross border attacks before launching missile strikes inside the country.

This led to a short-lived battle between the nuclear-armed neighbouring countries, which finally stopped through intervention of the United States, as asserted by US President Donald Trump.

Counsellor Saima reminded the UNSC members that between May 6 and 10, India also committed blatant aggression against Pakistan, launching unprovoked attacks on innocent civilians, killing 40 including 7 women and 15 children and injuring 121 others, including 10 women and 27 children.

Pointing to the recent heinous acts of terrorism in Pakistan, she said that India continues to provide financial and practical support to terrorist groups, including the Fitna Al Khawarij (TTP), Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Majeed Brigade, whose aim is to kill innocent civilians in Pakistan.

On May 21, a cowardly attack on a school bus in Khuzdar district of Balochistan claimed the lives of innocent children and injured dozens.

She also said if India is genuinely committed to peace and security and good neighbourliness, it should end its state-sponsored terrorism, cease its oppression of Kashmiris, comply with its obligations under international law, UN Charter and bilateral treaties, and engage in meaningful dialogue for the peaceful resolution of the IIOJK dispute in accordance with relevant resolutions of the Security Council and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.