India on Wednesday (US local time) strongly criticised Pakistan at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), accusing it of using cross-border terrorism as an “instrument of State policy” and reiterating that Jammu and Kashmir “has always been, is, and will remain” an integral and inalienable part of India.
The remarks were made by India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, during the High-Level Open Debate of the UN Security Council on “Natural Resources Governance: the Foundation of Peace, Security and Prosperity.”
Responding to Pakistan’s intervention, Harish accused Islamabad of misusing the forum to advance what he described as a “false narrative.”
“It was not our intention to bring other issues into this forum, but my delegation is compelled to respond to Pakistan, as it has chosen to misuse today’s discussion to peddle its false narrative,” he said.
Referring to Jammu and Kashmir, the envoy said, “For the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, it has always been, is, and will remain an integral and inalienable part of India. This is the constitutional and legal reality that Pakistan deliberately chooses to ignore.”
Harish added that the “only outstanding issue” relating to Jammu and Kashmir was what he termed Pakistan’s “naked aggression and illegal occupation of India’s sovereign territory.”
On the Indus Waters Treaty, the Indian envoy said New Delhi’s position remained unchanged, asserting that meaningful cooperation requires mutual trust and goodwill.
“Our position on the Indus Water Treaty remains clear and consistent. Cooperation on the basis of mutual trust and goodwill cannot be expected when cross-border terrorism is regularly deployed as an instrument of State policy,” he said.
Concluding his remarks, Harish urged Pakistan to focus on addressing its domestic challenges instead of criticising India.
“Instead of pointing fingers at India, Pakistan would serve itself and its people far better by putting its own house in order,” he said.
(With inputs from ANI)
