India strongly criticized Pakistan for its “continued sponsorship of cross-border terrorism” and urged Islamabad to “credibly and irreversibly” stop supporting terrorism in all its forms during the UN Security Council debate on “upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and strengthening the UN-centred international order” on Tuesday.
China chaired the discussion as part of its presidency of the 15-nation UN body for May. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi chaired the opening session on Tuesday morning.
India criticizes Pakistan in UN Security Council discussion
India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvathanini Harish, spoke during the discussion and criticized Pakistan for making “baseless and unjustified statements” claiming to support the UN Charter.
“Pakistan’s use of cross-border terrorism and its principle of ‘bleeding India with thousands of wounds’ reveal its hollow rhetoric of commitment to the UN Charter,” he said.
Harish also said that Pakistan’s record since independence has been affected by aggression against India and repeated support for cross-border terrorism.
“Independent India began its life fighting cross-border aggression by Pakistan, which coveted Indian territory which became part of India as a result of its full, legal and irrevocable accession,” he said.
He also said that Pakistan has repeatedly violated the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and peaceful coexistence through wars, unprovoked attacks and terrorism-related acts targeting India.
“India has every right to defend itself from such cross-border terrorism. Pakistan will have to accept that there are consequences for its sponsorship of cross-border terrorism,” the Indian envoy said.
He accused Islamabad of continuing to promote extremist elements since its formation.
“Pakistan’s exploitation of malignant forces of terrorism, religious extremism, violent radicalism and anti-India rhetoric has continued unabated since its inception,” he said.
“The facts in this regard are publicly known and require no further clarification. Pakistan must credibly and irreversibly end its support for all forms of terrorism.”
India condemned the “heinous acts of aggression” carried out by Pakistan
The envoy’s latest comments came days after concerns were raised in the UN Security Council over the killing and injury of Afghan civilians due to cross-border violence involving Pakistani military forces on Wednesday last week.
In a sharp response at the UN Security Council, India criticized Pakistan’s “long tainted record” of genocide after Islamabad’s representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmed, raised the issue of Jammu and Kashmir during a discussion.
“It is ironic that Pakistan, with its long, tainted record of genocide, has chosen to point out issues entirely internal to India,” Harish said during the UN Security Council’s annual open debate on “Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict.”
India also expressed concern over the continuing threat of cross-border terrorism, saying it remains a challenge to peace, regional stability and international security.
With input from agencies
