United Nations: India has called on Pakistan to halt what it described as “grave and ongoing” human rights abuses in parts of Kashmir under its illegal occupation, accusing Islamabad of suppressing popular dissent and exploiting the region’s resources.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly on Friday, Bhavika Managalanandan, First Secretary at India’s UN Mission, said Pakistani forces and their proxies had recently killed civilians demanding basic rights and freedoms.
“We call upon Pakistan to stop the grave and ongoing human rights violations in the areas illegally occupied by it, where the population is an open revolt against Pakistan's military occupation, repression, brutality and illegal exploitation of resources,” she said.
Managalanandan dismissed Pakistan’s repeated allegations against India at the UN as baseless and misleading. “Repetitive allegations and lies change neither reality nor the truth,” she said, adding that Pakistan’s “double speak and hypocrisy” did not merit the attention of the global forum.
Highlighting democratic participation in Jammu and Kashmir, she said elections in the region were a testament to India’s democratic values. “We reject attempts by Pakistan to denigrate the people of India and the Democratic choices regularly exercised, including by the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” she said.
She also criticised Pakistan’s invocation of the principle of self-determination, accusing it of distorting the concept through “false equivalences.” Referring to UN Security Council Resolution 47 of 1948, she noted that Pakistan had failed to comply with the directive to withdraw its forces from all of Kashmir.
“Let me reiterate the union territories of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh are an integral and inalienable part of India,” she affirmed.
Reaffirming India’s commitment to human rights, Managalanandan said the country’s approach was rooted in its freedom struggle led by Mahatma Gandhi, and enshrined in its Constitution. She cited progressive legislation, judicial activism, and the role of national and state human rights commissions as pillars of India’s rights framework.
(Inputs from IANS)