India hits out at Pakistan as it rakes Kashmir at UNGA, demands vacating occupied areas

In a befitting response to Pakistan, after it rakes up Kashmir in UN General Assembly, India slammed the nation and called on Islamabad to “take credible action against perpetrators of Mumbai terror attack.”

India fielded young woman diplomat Petal Gahlot to condemn Pakistan in strong words in the right to reply at UNGA. India asked Pakistan to stop cross-border terror by shutting down terror infrastructure, vacating occupied areas of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, and stopping human rights violations against minorities in Pakistan.

This comes after Pakistan’s caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar raised the Jammu and Kashmir issue in his UN General Assembly address. “Global powers should convince New Delhi to accept Pakistan’s offer of mutual restraint on strategic and conventional weapons,” he said during his address. 

As has been reiterated several times in the past, India once more demanded Pakistan take action against terrorism.

Addressing the General Debate of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Kakar said, “Development depends on peace. Pakistan is situated in the least economically integrated region in the world. Pakistan believes that regions develop together therefore [the country] desires peaceful and productive relations with all neighbours, including India,” he said.

Kakar also called on the UN Security Council to oversee that the resolutions on Kashmir are being followed. He continued by saying that the United Nations Military Observer Group for India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) should be “reinforced”.

“Pakistan desires peaceful and productive relations with all our neighbours, including India. Kashmir is the key to peace between Pakistan and India,” he said.

New Delhi’s stance on Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has been steadfast. It has clarified that both the regions were, are and will always remain an integral part of India. Even India wants peaceful relations with Pakistan however the country has made clear that it will only be possible when Pakistan take action against terrorism breeding from its soil. 

This is not the first time Pakistan has used a multilateral institution like UNGA to raise the Kashmir issue. 

The relationship between India and Pakistan plunged to a new low after New Delhi abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution to overrule the special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019.