India exercises its Right of Reply to Pakistan at UNHRC

India exercised its right of reply in response to a mendacious statement made by Pakistan, at 45th session of the UN Human Rights Council. Vimarsh Aryan, First Secretary at Permanent Mission of India, at Geneva said that it's unfortunate that amid pandemic, Pakistan is using another kind of pernicious mask to masquerade as a champion of human rights that it itself violates egregiously by torturing and persecuting minorities.

New Delhi: India on Thursday hits out at Pakistan during the ongoing 45th session of UN Human Rights Council at Geneva for its remarks on Kashmir issue.

Exercising Right of Reply at HRC45 at Geneva in response to the mendacious statement by Pakistan, Indian diplomat Vimarsh Aryan said, “In these extraordinary times of pandemic when everyone is putting on a mask for the safety and protection of fellow human beings, Pakistan, unfortunately, is using another kind of pernicious mask to masquerade as a champion of human rights that it itself violates egregiously by torturing and persecuting minorities."

He asserted that Human rights are meant for human beings but it defeats common sense to see how the deep state of Pakistan, on one hand, pretends to speak for the rights of human beings while at the same time it has unleashed state-sponsored cross border terrorism against India.

It is ruthlessly targeting innocent lives, adding to which he said, “It is high time for this Council and the international community to address the irony where a failed state like Pakistan with no regard whatsoever for values and culture of democracy dares to preach an open and transparent democratic system like India".

Aryan, First Secretary, India’s permanent mission to United Nation’s Office at Geneva, accused the neighbouring country of misusing the council and its mechanism to distract the attention of international community from serious human rights violations committed by it and for establishing its narrow political agenda against India.

“It is very unfortunate to witness incessant and insensible ranting by Pakistan on issues that are extraneous to the mandate of this Council and which relate to the internal affairs of India. Pakistan’s sole objective as a member of this council is to distract the attention of international community from serious human rights violations committed by it against its own people, and in Indian territories occupied by it”, he said.

Stating that the ‘Pakistani shenanigan of running with the hare and hunting with the hound is hard to miss’, Aryan advised Pakistan to address the gross human rights violations inflicted upon minorities instead of squandering the membership of the Human Rights forum for purposes which are “neither humane nor right.”

Calling Pakistan as the “epicentre of global terrorism”, the envoy said that the country is violating every single international treaty and declaration on human rights.

“Pakistan as a state is a threat not only to religious and ethnic minorities within Pakistan and in the illegally occupied territories in India, but if left unchecked by the international community it will grow on to become a threat to the international peace and harmony”, the diplomat pointed out.

He further added that the politicization and hijacking of the agendas of UN council by Pakistan for the purely political purpose has undermined the credibility of the council which India strongly object to and urged other members also to do so.

Earlier today, India cornered Pakistan on the human rights issue and terrorism on several platforms on.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar raised the issue of cross-border terrorism at a virtual gathering of SAARC Council of Ministers.

Jaishankar said that SAARC must overcome the challenges of cross-border terrorism for building a connected, integrated, secure and prosperous South Asia.