Vimarsh Aryan called Pakistanu00e2u0080u0099s rhetoric an u00e2u0080u009cill-disguised effort to advance its territorial ambitionsu00e2u0080u009d
Security personnel stand guard during shutdown in Srinagar. Pic/PTI
When Pakistani delegation led by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi presented their "fabricated narrative" over Kashmir issues in the UNHRC, it was a diplomat from Jammu and Kashmir--Vimarsh Aryan--who rebutted Pakistan's charges with full throttle.
First secretary in India's permanent mission to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva Aryan replied to Pakistan’s allegations saying that it was "an ill-disguised effort to advance its territorial ambitions" and Islamabad forgets that terrorism is the worst form of human rights abuse.
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"This is an ill-disguised effort to advance its territorial ambitions. We reject this propaganda. We are not surprised at Pakistan's hysterical statements with false, fabricated narratives aimed to politicise and polarize this forum," he said.
Aryan who is also the first Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs said at the summit that he had been forced to take the floor to call out the "blatant is a representation of facts and false narrative peddled by Pakistan in all its statements today."
He emphasized that Jammu and Kashmir has been, is and shall continue to be an integral part of India and Pakistan's intentions will never succeed.
"It defies credibility that Pakistan, which is the epicentre of global terrorism is claiming to speak on behalf of unnamed countries on the issue of human rights. It forgets that terrorism is the worst form of human rights abuse," he said.
Aryan referred to call for 'Jihad' and to encourage violence both inside Jammu and Kashmir and in third countries.
The diplomat also said the rhetoric will not distract international attention from Pakistan's persecution and elimination of religious and ethnic minorities - be it the Christians, Sikhs, Shias, Ahmadiyas and Hindus.
About Article 370, he said that it was a temporary provision of the Indian Constitution and the recent modification was "within our sovereign right and entirely an internal matter of India."
The Centre’s decision had removed "impediments to the enjoyment of civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights of our citizens in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh," he said, especially those dealing with women, children and disadvantaged sections of our society in that region.
"Pakistan realises that our recent decision cuts the very ground from under its feet by creating obstacles in its continuing sponsorship of cross border terrorism against India," he said in the summit.
"In this desperate mind-frame, some Pakistan leaders have even gone as far as to call for 'Jihad' and to encourage violence both inside Jammu and Kashmir and in third countries, in order to paint a picture of 'genocide' which even they know is far from reality," he added.
Aryan said Pakistan has pretended to speak as the voice of the global community on human rights but the world cannot be fooled.
"Pakistan's gory record speaks for itself. This rhetoric will not distract international attention from Pakistan's persecution and elimination of religious and ethnic minorities - be it the Christians, Sikhs, Shias, Ahmadiyas, and Hindus. This is the reason that Pakistan no longer publishes official statistics about its minorities as India does," he said.
Aryan also said that blatant abuse of blasphemy laws in Pakistan to persecute minorities was well documented and referred to the cases of Asia Bibi of forced conversion and marriage of a minor Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur.
"Aasia Bibi, the Christian woman was incarcerated for years. So was Abdul Shakoor, the 82-year old Ahmadiya, under Anti-Terrorism Act for selling books. The recent case of abduction, forced conversion, and marriage of a minor Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur, exemplifies the state of women, especially from the minority communities in Pakistan. And today, in this Council Pakistan has the audacity to tell others about human rights that it so egregiously violates again and again," he said at the UNHRC.
Aryan also said that the people of India were determined to preserve the territorial integrity.
"Pakistan's nefarious designs will never succeed because the people of India are united in their determination to preserve our territorial integrity along with our core values of democracy, tolerance, and unity in diversity. Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will continue to progress and prosper along with the rest of India," he said.
Qureshi had claimed earlier in the day that India has transformed Jammu and Kashmir into a largest "caged prison on this planet" after the abrogation of Article 370 and that the human rights were being "trampled with impunity" there.
Earlier in its country statement, India had rejected Qureshi's allegations and hit back saying a "fabricated narrative" on Jammu and Kashmir has come from "the epicentre of global terrorism" and from a nation, which conducts cross-border terrorism as a form of 'alternate diplomacy.
With inputs from PTI
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