Special Correspondent
UNITED NATIONS: During the general debate of the Third Committee at the United Nations, Pakistan’s envoy, Saima Saleem, exercised her right of reply to respond to statements made by the Indian representative.
She delivered a forceful critique of India’s policies in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, highlighting what she described as systemic human rights violations and oppressive state actions.
Saleem categorically rejected India’s claim that Jammu and Kashmir has always been an “integral part” of the country, citing multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions that reaffirm the Kashmiri people’s inalienable right to self-determination.
She accused India of perpetrating state terrorism and committing severe human rights abuses in the region, while deliberately restricting both media coverage and access for international observers.
The Pakistani envoy further condemned India’s domestic policies, asserting that the country has strayed from its secular foundations, institutionalized Islamophobia, and created an environment of fear and insecurity for religious and ethnic minorities under the ideological framework of Hindutva.
She alleged widespread attacks on Muslims and religious sites, the proliferation of hate speech, and the systematic suppression of diversity, dissent, and differing opinions.
Saleem also criticized India’s foreign policy, describing it as aggressive and destabilizing. She highlighted repeated violations of Pakistan’s sovereignty, the weaponization of shared water resources, and the unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, which she said constitute violations of international law and basic principles of good neighborliness.
She stressed that sustainable peace in South Asia is unattainable as long as India continues its occupation of Kashmir and pursues aggressive regional policies.
Concluding her statement, Saleem emphasized that Pakistan remains steadfast in its commitment to peace, justice, and the protection of the rights of the oppressed Kashmiri population.
She asserted that Pakistan will continue to hold India accountable for actions that undermine regional stability and thwart the prospects of lasting peace in South Asia.
