Al Haqeeqa
Geneva: India’s Permanent Mission at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Switzerland, has squarely accused Pakistan of openly supporting cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and allowing United Nations-designated terrorists like Hafiz Saeed to operate with state support.
Speaking at the 37th session of UNHRC), Second Secretary of India’s Permanent Mission, Mini Devi Kumam, describing Pakistan as a “Failed State”, said, “In gross violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1267, UN-designated terrorists like Hafiz Mohammed Saeed are freely operating with state support and UN-designated entities are being politically mainstreamed in Pakistan.”
“We await credible action by the Government of Pakistan to bring all those involved in the 2008 Mumbai attack and the 2016 Pathankot and Uri attacks to justice,” she added.
“They (UN-designated terrorists) are raising funds in flagrant violation of Pakistan’s international obligations,” Kumam said.
“Even as terrorists thrive in Pakistan and roam its streets with impunity, we have heard it (Pakistan) lecture about the protection of human rights in India. The world does not need lessons on democracy and human rights from a country whose own situation is charitably described as a failed state,” Kumam said further.
India also used the occasion to expose Pakistan’s poor rights record viz-a vis minorities, including Hindus, Sikhs and Christians, as also its abysmal record on forced conversions and marriages.
India also highlighted enforced disappearances and unlawful killing of political dissidents by the Pakistani security forces.
“We urge the Council to call on Pakistan to stop targeting political dissidents and legitimate criticism in Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and to stop torture, enforced disappearances and unlawful killing, including that of journalists and activists by its security agencies. Pakistan should also prosecute all perpetrators of such crimes,” Kumam said.
India also demanded the end of sectarian violence, systemic persecution and attacks on Muslim minorities, such as Shia, Ahmadiyas, Ismailia and Hazaras in Pakistan. (ANI)
