India strongly criticised Pakistan at a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting after Islamabad raised the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. New Delhi called Pakistan’s remarks “unwarranted” and accused it of misusing an international platform to push its political agenda.
India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, delivered a sharp response during the UNSC debate. He said Jammu and Kashmir “was, is and will always remain” an integral part of India and described the matter as India’s internal issue. He stressed that Pakistan had no basis to comment on it.
"I also refer to the unwarranted remarks made by the representative of Pakistan. It is incredible that a co-chair expected to be balanced and unbiased in conduct has chosen to politicise this forum,” Harish said. “I would only like to stress, for brevity of time, that the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is a matter strictly internal to India. It has always been, is, and will remain so,” he said.
India also accused Pakistan of repeatedly attempting to internationalise the Kashmir issue by raising it at global forums. According to the Indian delegation, such efforts are politically motivated and divert attention from the actual agenda of the Security Council meeting.
During his statement, Ambassador Harish said it was surprising that Pakistan, while serving as a co-chair at the meeting, chose to bring up issues unrelated to the discussion. He maintained that the UN forum should not be used for advancing narrow political interests.
India further reiterated its long standing position that the only unresolved issue related to Jammu and Kashmir is Pakistan’s continued occupation of territories that India considers illegally occupied. New Delhi has consistently maintained that Pakistan should vacate these areas instead of raising the matter at international forums.
The exchange marks another diplomatic confrontation between India and Pakistan at the United Nations over Kashmir. India has repeatedly asserted that Jammu and Kashmir is an internal matter and has opposed any attempt to bring the issue before international bodies.
