Pakistan, in dire economic situation, using humans rights forum for its malicious propaganda: India at Human Rights Council
Mar 02, 2021
Geneva [Switzerland], March 2 : India at the Human Rights Council on Tuesday said that Pakistan, a country in a dire economic situation, is using human rights forum for its malicious propaganda against India.
India once again exercised its right of reply to the statements made by Pakistan and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
India said that even during the COVID-19 pandemic, Pakistan's deliberate misuse of this august forum for its malicious propaganda against India, aimed at diverting the attention of the Council from its own serious violations of human rights, has remained a constant.
First Secretary in Permanent Mission of India, Pawankumar Badhe said: "Pakistan, a country in dire economic situation, will be well advised to stop wasting the time of the Council and its mechanisms, stop state-sponsored cross-border terrorism and end institutionalised violation of human rights of its minority and other communities."
India reiterated that Pakistan is home to the highest number of proscribed terrorists and many are receiving pensions. Badhe said, "Pakistan has provided pensions to dreaded and listed terrorists out of State funds and has the dubious distinction of hosting the largest number of terrorists proscribed by the United Nations. Pakistani leaders have admitted the fact that it has become a factory for producing terrorists. Pakistan has ignored that terrorism is the worst form of human rights abuse and the supporters of terrorism are the worst abusers of human rights"
India also raised the issue of the persecution of minorities. "The Council should ask Pakistan why the size of its minority communities such as Christians, Hindus and Sikhs has drastically shrunk since independence and why they and other communities such as Ahmadiyyas, Shias, Pashtuns, Sindhis and Baloch, have been subjected to draconian blasphemy laws, systemic persecution, blatant abuses and forced conversions. Holy and ancient sites of religious minorities in Pakistan have been attacked and vandalized daily," India said in its right of reply.
India also rejected the reference to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in the statement of the OIC. Pawan Badhe said, " It has no locus standi to comment on matters related to Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral and inalienable part of India. It is regrettable that OIC continues to allow itself to be exploited by Pakistan to indulge in anti-India propaganda".