Counsellor Eldos Mathew Punnoose exercised India’s right of reply against Pakistan at the Joint General Debate on decolonization at the United Nations on Monday. Punnoose condemned Pakistan’s “unsubstantiated allegations” regarding the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
He emphasised the need for Pakistan to cease its ongoing human rights violations in Pakistan-occupied Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.
Targeting Pakistan, he said, “Unsubstantiated allegations by Pakistan largely pertain to the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. India would like to reiterate that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are, were and will be an integral and inalienable part of India. Clearly, Pakistan does not merit a response on the internal affairs of India.”
He further said, “At this juncture, we also advise Pakistan to stop the grave and ongoing human rights violations in Pakistan-occupied Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh (PoJKL). The world is witness to the divisive activities that Pakistan tries to undertake day in and day out. India would like to stress that our foundations are built on the enduring pillar of democratic values, unlike Pakistan’s.”
Stepping up his criticism of Pakistan, he said that the nation is familiar with sham elections, incarceration of opposition leaders, and suppression of political voices.
“Given their tainted democratic record, Pakistan considers real democratic exercises as a sham, as reflected in their statement. All countries speak from their experience. Sham elections, incarceration of opposition leaders and suppression of political voices are what Pakistan is familiar with,” Punnoos said.
“It is natural that Pakistan must be disappointed to see real democracy at work. It was only last week that election results were announced in Jammu and Kashmir. Millions of voters in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir have spoken. They exercised their right to vote and have chosen their leadership according to the Constitutional framework and universal adult suffrage. Clearly, these terms must be alien to Pakistan,” he added.
He further criticised Pakistan by highlighting the country’s notorious reputation for supporting terrorism and engaging in transnational crimes. “It is ironic that a country which is infamous across the globe for state-sponsored terrorism and transnational crimes cast aspersions on the world’s largest democracy. It has been Pakistan’s consistent state policy to employ cross-border terrorism as a weapon against its neighbours,” Punnoos added.
He also said that Pakistan has been implicated in several attacks, including the attack on the Indian Parliament. “The list of attacks orchestrated by Pakistan is indeed long. In India, they have targeted our Parliament, market places and pilgrimage routes, among several others. Normal Indian citizens have been victims of such dastardly and inhumane acts by Pakistan,” Punnoos said.
He also compared India and Pakistan, praising the former for its “pluralism, diversity and democracy,” and highlighting the latter’s “terrorism, parochialism and persecution.”
Punnoos said, “India symbolises pluralism, diversity and democracy. In contrast, Pakistan reminds the world of terrorism, parochialism and persecution. Religious and ethnic minorities and their places of worship are targeted and vandalised on a regular basis. It is important for Pakistan to first look inward and set own house in order instead of meddling in the internal affairs of neighbouring countries.”
He added, “Pakistan’s obsession with India and their past practice corroborate that they will continue to use this august forum for spreading their malicious propaganda against my country. They will exercise their right of reply but I shall refrain from responding to it… As such, facts speak for themselves. Lies are lies, even if they are repeated over and over by Pakistan.”
Meanwhile, Punnoose emphasised India’s pivotal role in the global struggle against colonialism, highlighting the country’s unwavering commitment to freedom.
He said, “India has been a global champion and leading voice in the struggle against colonialism. In 1962, India was also elected as the first chair of the Decolonisation Committee, a committee of 24, which was established to monitor the implementation of the 1960 Declaration on Granting of Independence to colonial countries and peoples and consider applications in this regard. Since the establishment of the Decolonisation Committee, India has been actively contributing towards its functioning. We have also been working constructively on the decolonisation agenda…”
Notably, Pakistan regularly brings up the Jammu and Kashmir issue at UN platforms and other some international forums, irrespective of the agenda of the meetings.
India has repeatedly rejected Pakistan’s attempts to raise the Kashmir issue on international platforms, asserting that the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir as well as Ladakh are “integral parts of India” and Pakistan has no “locus standi” to make statements regarding India’s domestic matters.