STATE TIMES NEWS
UNITED NATIONS/ GENEVA: Slamming Pakistan at the UN, India has said the country lives in “la-la land” and finds it unbelievable that Jammu and Kashmir’s developmental budget is more than double the recent bailout package Islamabad sought from the IMF.
Anupama Singh, First Secretary in the Permanent Mission of India to the UN in Geneva, exercised India’s Right of Reply on Wednesday after Pakistan raised the issue of Jammu and Kashmir at the high-level segment of the 61st Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council.
“India is compelled to exercise its Right of Reply in response to references made to it during the high-level segment by Pakistan and the OIC. We categorically reject these allegations,” she said, referring to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
Singh added that it is hard to take lectures on democracy from a country where civilian governments rarely complete their terms.
“They ring hollow. The record voter turnout in general elections and Assembly elections in Jammu & Kashmir, is a testimony to the fact that people of Jammu & Kashmir have rejected the ideology of terrorism and violence propagated by Pakistan and are surging ahead on the path of development and democracy,” she said.
In a strong retort, Singh said, “If the Chenab Rail Bridge, the world’s highest bridge inaugurated in Jammu & Kashmir last year is fake, then Pakistan must be hallucinating or living in the la-la land.”
“Or maybe, Pakistan finds it unbelievable that the developmental budget of Jammu & Kashmir is more than double the recent bailout package they sought from the IMF,” she said.
Last year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had approved disbursement of about one billion USD to Pakistan under Extended Fund Facility (EFF), bringing total disbursements under the arrangement to about USD 2.1 billion.
“Despite Pakistan’s efforts to destabilise the region through relentless state-sponsored terrorism, Jammu & Kashmir continues to surge ahead – politically, economically and socially,” she said.
“Pakistan would do well if it focuses on fixing its deepening internal crises than to mask them with grandstanding at such a platform – the world can certainly see through its charade,” she added.
She said the OIC, by “parroting” Pakistan’s propaganda, only reveals how deeply it has allowed itself to be co-opted by one member.
“Pakistan’s incessant propaganda now reeks of envy. We have no desire to dignify such propaganda, however, we will make a few points, to dismantle it with facts,” Singh said.
India asserted that “Jammu and Kashmir was, is and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India”.
“No amount of wishful rhetoric or audacious propaganda by Pakistan can alter the immutable fact that the accession of Jammu & Kashmir to India was completely legal and irrevocable, and in accordance with Indian Independence Act (1947) and the international law.
“In fact, the only outstanding dispute regarding this region is the illegal occupation of Indian territories by Pakistan. We call upon Pakistan to vacate these areas, which remain under its forcible occupation,” she said.
