- India reiterated that the entire Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are an integral and inalienable part of India.
- The steps taken by the Government to ensure good governance and development in these Union Territories are our internal matters, it said.
- India highlights institutionalized discrimination and persecution faced by Pakistan’s minorities and its state-sponsorship of terrorism at UNHRC council
- As many as 126 individuals and 24 entities, sanctioned under the UN Security Council 1267 and 1988 Committees’ Lists, are associated with Pakistan.
- India also condemned statements by Turkey and OIC as factually incorrect and unwarranted references to internal matters of India
India in its reply at the 46th session of the UNHRC called out Pakistan for its misuse of the UN forum again for its baseless and malicious propaganda against India. India reiterated that the entire Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are an integral and inalienable part of India.
“The steps taken by the Government to ensure good governance and development in these Union Territories are our internal matters”, read India’s statement. As a country with one of the world’s worst human rights records, Pakistan would do well to put its own house in order, before venturing to point a finger at India, it said.
India further called out Pakistan over violence, institutionalized discrimination and persecution faced by Pakistan’s minorities, including Christians, Sikhs and Hindus, which has continued unabated. It also highlighted the frequent attacks on the places of worship of minority communities, a grave violation of their right to freedom of religion and belief.
India further mentioned that the condition of women belonging to minority communities, notably Hindus, Sikhs and Christians, remains deplorable as an estimated 1,000 women from minority communities are subjected to abduction followed by forced conversion and forced marriage in Pakistan every year, according to a recent report published by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.
“Most of these women fall in the age-bracket of 16-25 years. The fact that young women, and not men or older women, are the main victims of forced conversions is a telling fact about Pakistani society”, India said. Shias, Hazaras and Ahmadiya communities have continued to face persecution, state-condoned violence and discrimination, it said.
It also spoke about the crushing of dissent and political repression in Balochistan. “Enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions and torture have been used as tools of coercion. Several Baloch human rights defenders have even met tragic death under mysterious circumstances, while in exile.”, it said.
India also highlighted the repression of journalists and civil society activists in the country. Pakistan has been the home and patron to the largest number of internationally proscribed terrorist entities and individuals in the world. As many as 126 individuals and 24 entities, sanctioned under the UN Security Council 1267 and 1988 Committees’ Lists, are associated with Pakistan. State-sponsored terrorism by Pakistan is a threat, not only to India but to other countries in the region and beyond, India said.
Replying to the remarks made by Turkey on Kashmir and Muslims in India, it said that they were completely unacceptable and it was ironical for a country which has trampled upon its own civil society to pass unjustified comments on other’s internal matters, it said. “We would advise Turkey to practise what it preaches by first implementing those UN Resolutions that apply to it”, India said in its reply.
Regarding the OIC’s statement on Kashmir and Muslims in India, India said it rejected the factually incorrect and unwarranted references to India. “We regret that the OIC countries continue to allow Pakistan to misuse OIC platforms to indulge in anti-India propaganda”, India said.
The full statement by India at UNHRC can be read here.
Satish Chogule 
Saisha Kamla Dudha 
Sahana A