COUNSELLOR Eldos Mathew Punnoose exercised India’s right of reply against Pakistan at the Joint General Debate on decolonisation 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,” Punnoose added.