'Don't need lesson from failed states like Pakistan': India reacts at UNHRC meet

In a scathing response to Pakistan and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) over their statement, India on Wednesday slammed Islamabad for what it called habitually misuing the platform provided by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to “propagate its false and malicious propaganda” against New Delhi.

Calling itself a "robustly functional" and a “vibrant” democracy, India said it “does not need lessons from a failed state like Pakistan which is the epicentre of terrorism and worst abuser of human rights.” 

India exercised its “right to reply” at the 48th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva to also comment that the the UNHRC is "aware of Pakistan's attempts to divert the Council's attention from serious human rights violations being propagated by its government, including in the territories occupied by it.”

Taking at a dig at OIC, of which Pakistan is a part of, India said its has no locus standi to comment on internal affairs of New Delhi.

“We once regret and reject reference made by the OIC to the Union territory of Jammu & Kashmir, which is an integral part of India. The OIC has no locus standi to comment on internal affairs of India,” the Indian envoy to the UN said at the session.

The OIC had in August asked India to revoke steps to scrap the abrogation of the special status of Jammu & Kashmir, and called them “unilateral” and aimed at altering the “internationally recognised disputed status of the territory as stipulated in the relevant UN Security Council resolutions”.

The OIC’s general secretariat at that time called on the world community to increase its efforts to resolve the Kashmir issue in line with UN Security Council resolutions.

“OIC has helplessly allowed itself to be held hostage by Pakistan, which holds Chairmanship of their Geneva Chapter, to subserve its own Agenda. It’s for members of OIC to decide if it's in their interest to allow Pakistan to do so,” India said at Wednesday's session.

India's reaction comes in response to UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet on Monday criticising India's use of stringent laws like the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act across the country as well as restrictions on public assembly and frequent communication blackouts in Jammu & Kashmir.

Even as she acknowledged India's efforts to counter terrorism and promote development in Jammu & Kashmir, Bachelet said that “such restrictive measures can result in human rights violations and foster further tensions and discontent."

India, on multiple occasions, in the past strongly rejected the UN human rights chief's criticisms relating to Jammu and Kashmir as interference in the country’s internal matters based on inadequate understanding of the ground situation.

Training its guns on Pakistan further, India criticised Pakistan for failing to protect the rights of its minorities, including Sikhs, Hindus, Christians and Ahmadiyas. “Pakistan has been engaged in systematic presecution, forced conversions, targeted killings, sectarian violence and faith-based discrimination against its ethnic and religious minorities," India said, adding, “A ‘climate of fear’ continues to drastically impact the lives of minorities.”

India said Pakistan is a country that has been globally recognised as a country openly supporting, training, financing and arming terrorists including UN proscribed terrorists, as a matter of state policy. 

“The relevant multilateral institutions have been raising serious concerns on its failure to stop terror financing and lack of effective actions against terror entities,” India said at the UNHRC session.

In the 47th session of the UNHRC, too, India fired salvos at its western neighbour by saying Pakistan should be held accountable for aiding and abetting terrorism.