'Must be disappointed to see real democracy at work': India slams Pakistan at UN

In a powerful rebuttal to Pakistan 's allegations at the United Nations, counsellor Eldos Mathew Punnoose strongly condemned the country's baseless claims regarding the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh . He stressed that these regions are an integral part of India and urged Pakistan to address its own human rights violations in Pakistan-occupied Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh.

He exposed Pakistan's divisive activities and its lack of democratic values, citing examples of sham elections, incarceration of opposition leaders, and suppression of political voices. He highlighted the stark contrast between India's vibrant democracy and Pakistan's notorious reputation for state-sponsored terrorism and transnational crimes.

"It is ironic that a country which is infamous across the globe for state-sponsored terrorism and transnational crimes cast aspersions on the world's largest democracy. It has been Pakistan's consistent state policy to employ cross-border terrorism as a weapon against its neighbours," Punnoos added.

#IndiaAtUN
Counsellor Eldos Mathew Punnoose, exercised 🇮🇳's right of reply against Pakistan at the Joint General Debate on decolonization today. pic.twitter.com/3OylL2QJhr

— India at UN, NY (@IndiaUNNewYork) October 14, 2024

Adding further he also drew attention to Pakistan's targeting of religious and ethnic minorities and their places of worship, emphasising the need for the country to focus on its own internal issues rather than interfering in the affairs of neighboring nations. He asserted that India symbolises pluralism, diversity, and democracy, while Pakistan represents terrorism, parochialism, and persecution.

Stepping up his criticism of Pakistan, he said that the nation is familiar with sham elections, incarceration of opposition leaders, and suppression of political voices. "Given their tainted democratic record, Pakistan considers real democratic exercises as a sham, as reflected in their statement. All countries speak from their experience. Sham elections, incarceration of opposition leaders and suppression of political voices are what Pakistan is familiar with," Punnoos said.

"It is natural that Pakistan must be disappointed to see real democracy at work. It was only last week that election results were announced in Jammu and Kashmir. Millions of voters in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir have spoken. They exercised their right to vote and have chosen their leadership according to the Constitutional framework and universal adult suffrage. Clearly, these terms must be alien to Pakistan," he added.

Despite Pakistan's expected attempts to spread malicious propaganda against India, Punnoose remained confident that facts would speak for themselves. He highlighted India's pivotal role in the global struggle against colonialism and its unwavering commitment to freedom, citing the country's active contributions to the Decolonisation Committee since its establishment in 1962.

The strong response to Pakistan's allegations at the United Nations serves as a reminder of India's firm stance on the integral nature of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, as well as its commitment to upholding democratic values and combating terrorism.

"Unsubstantiated allegations by Pakistan largely pertain to the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. India would like to reiterate that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are, were and will be an integral and inalienable part of India. Clearly, Pakistan does not merit a response on the internal affairs of India." He further said, "At this juncture, we also advise Pakistan to stop the grave and ongoing human rights violations in Pakistan-occupied Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh (PoJKL). The world is witness to the divisive activities that Pakistan tries to undertake day in and day out. India would like to stress that our foundations are built on the enduring pillar of democratic values, unlike Pakistan's."