By Anjali Sharma
UNITED NATIONS – India Ambassador to the UN Parvathaneni Harish in a statement during the 80th anniversary of the UN Day as strongly rebuked Pakistan for once again raising the Kashmir issue at the United Nations asserted that democracy remains an “alien” concept for Islamabad.
India deplored the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, PoK unrest, human rights violations, democracy in Pakistan.
India called upon Pakistan to immediately end the grave human rights violations in the territories under its “illegal occupation,” where local populations are said to be in open defiance of military repression and exploitation.
He was speaking at the UN Security Council’s open debate marked the 80th UN Day, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Parvathaneni Harish, accused Pakistan of perpetuating systematic abuse in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
“We call upon Pakistan to end the grave and ongoing human rights violations in the areas illegally occupied by it, where the population is in open revolt against Pakistan’s military occupation, repression, brutality and illegal exploitation of resources,” Ambassador Harish said, highlighting the recent wave of violent unrest in PoK that left at least a dozen civilians dead and hundreds injured.
He reaffirmed that Jammu and Kashmir will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India.
Harish highlighted the stark contrast between democratic rights in India and the absence of such freedoms across the border.
“The people of Jammu and Kashmir exercise their fundamental rights in accordance with India’s time-tested democratic traditions and constitutional framework,” he noted. “These are concepts, however, that remain completely alien to Pakistan.”
He also highlighted the UN’s contributions since World War II, while acknowledging questions about its relevance, legitimacy, credibility, and efficacy.
“The theme of this debate gains great salience at a time when the world’s largest multilateral organization—the United Nations—faces questions related to relevance, legitimacy, credibility, and efficacy,” Ambassador Harish said.
He underscored how the UN has worked for decolonization and become a “beacon of hope for international peace and security.”
“This organisation was founded in the aftermath of the Second World War as a beacon of hope for international peace and security. It advanced decolonisation; it has been instrumental in the emergence of new nation-states in the Global South; it drew up ambitious markers for economic growth, social development, and prosperity; it focused our minds on global challenges such as pandemics, countering terrorism, and climate change,” he added.
The October 24 marks the anniversary of the entry into force of the UN Charter in 1945. With ratification of this founding document by the majority of its signatories, including the five permanent members of the Security Council, the United Nations officially came into being.
