'Travesty & hypocrisy': India delivers sharp rebuttal to Pakistan as Sharif questions J&K elections at UNGA

India called out Pakistan’s hypocrisy at the United Nations after the latter’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif raked up the Kashmir issue on the international platform. The First Secretary, Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, Bhavika Mangalanandan, on Friday, termed Sharif’s remarks as “travesty”. She insisted that the country which has “a global reputation for terrorism” has the “audacity to attack” the world’s largest democracy.

Mangalanandan slammed Islamabad for questioning the recent Jammu and Kashmir elections as she addressed the matter during India’s Right to Reply at the ongoing 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The sharp rebuttal came after Sharif, in his address to UNGA, said that India should reverse the Abrogation of Article 370 and enter into a dialogue with Pakistan.

He insisted that both nations should sit down and discuss the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue. “Let me state in no uncertain terms, Pakistan will respond most decisively to any Indian aggression, therefore, to secure durable peace, India must reverse the unilateral and illegal measures it has taken since the 5th of August 2019 and enter into a dialogue for a peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people,” he claimed.

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“It (India) has engaged in massive expansion of its military capabilities, which are essentially deployed against Pakistan. Its war doctrines envisage a surprise attack and a limited war under the nuclear overhang. Thoughtlessly, India spurned Pakistan’s proposals for a mutual strategic restraint of the regime. Its leadership has often threatened to cross the Line of Control and take over Azad Kashmir,” the Pakistani premier furthered.

During his address, Sharif alleged that India’s decision to abrogate Article 370 was a “unilateral and illegal step”. “Instead of moving towards peace, India has resiled from its commitments to implement the Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir. These resolutions mandate the people of Jammu and Kashmir to exercise their fundamental right to self-determination. Since 5th August 2019, India has initiated unilateral illegal steps to impose what its leaders honestly call a final solution for Jammu and Kashmir,” Sharif exclaimed.

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India hits back

During her address, Mangalanandan pointed out that Pakistan had used “terrorism to disrupt elections in Jammu and Kashmir”. “The truth is that Pakistan covets our territory and has continuously used terrorism to disrupt elections in Jammu and Kashmir, an inalienable and integral part of India. A reference has been made to some proposals of strategic restraint,” she said.

“This assembly regrettably witnessed a travesty this morning. A country run by the military, with a global reputation for terrorism, narcotics, trade, and transnational crime has had the audacity to attack the world’s largest democracy. I speak about the reference to India in the speech of the Pakistani PM,” the Indian diplomat furthered.

Mangalanandan supported her argument by referencing the 2008 Mumbai terror attack and the 2001 attack on the Indian parliament. “Pakistan has long employed cross-border terrorism as a weapon against its neighbours,” Mangalanandan stated. “It has attacked our parliament, our financial capital Mumbai, marketplaces, and pilgrimage routes. The list is long,” she said.

“For such a country to speak about violence anywhere is hypocrisy at its worst. It is even more extraordinary for a country with a history of rigged elections to talk about political choices that too, in a democracy. There can be no compact with terrorism. In fact, Pakistan should realise that cross-border terrorism against India will inevitably invite consequences,” she added.

The Indian diplomat also highlighted the “genocide in Bangladesh” and recalled how Pakistan hosted the most infamous terrorist Osama Bin Laden. “It is ridiculous that a nation that committed genocide in 1971 and which persecuted its minorities relentlessly even now, dare speak about intolerances and phobias. The world can see for itself what Pakistan really is. We are talking about a nation that for long hosted Osama bin Laden.”

“A country whose fingerprints are on so many terrorist incidents across the world, whose policies attract the dregs of many societies to make it their home. Perhaps it should come as no surprise that its PM would so speak in this hallowed hall. Yet we must make clear how unacceptable his words are to all of us. We know that Pakistan will seek to counter the truth with more lies. Repetition will change nothing. Our stand is clear and needs no reiteration,” she remarked.

It is pertinent to note that India has repeatedly raised concerns over how Pakistan supports cross-border terrorism. New Delhi insisted that “talks and terrorism” cannot go hand-in-hand.

With inputs from agencies.