India issues reply to statements made by Pak, OIC under oral update by the OHCHR

Exercising its Right to Reply, India retorted to the statements made by Pakistan and the OIC under Oral Update by the High Commissioner of Human Rights and said that Pakistan's deliberate misuse of the August forum for its malicious propaganda against India, aimed at diverting the attention of the Council from its own serious violations of Human rights, has remained "constant even amid the pandemic.

"Pakistan hosts the largest number of terrorists proscribed by the United Nations"

Highlighting Pakistan's role in terrorism, the statement read, "Pakistan has provided pensions to dreaded and listed terrorists out of State funds and has the dubious distinction of hosting the largest number of terrorists proscribed by the United Nations. The leaders of the country have admitted to the same but have outrightly ignored the fact that terrorism is the worst form of human rights abuse and the supporters of terrorism are the worst abusers of human rights."

READ: Pakistan Sanctioned Dawood Ibrahim & Other Terrorists 1 Day Before Escaping FATF Blacklist

"Minority Shrinking in Pakistan" 

The statement went on to channelize the attention of the Council towards the treatment of the minority in Pakistan and appealed to ask the South Asian country why the population of Christians, Hindus, and Sikhs has drastically been shrinking since the independence and why they and other communities such as Ahmadiyyas, Shias, PAstunas, Sindhis, and Baloch, have been subjected draconian blasphemy laws, systemic persecution, blatant abuses and forced conversions. 

READ: Pakistan Walking Into A Swamp Of Criminal Jihad Inspite Of FATF Grey List: Sushil Pandit

Further, the statement brought to light the enforced disappearance, extrajudicial killings, and arbitrary detentions of those who tried to speak against the establishment,  carried out by the security agencies with impunity. The claim was supported with a recent example of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, the key suspect in the murder of the journalist Daniel Pearl who was allowed to go scot-free. 

"Disappearance and killings of Baloch Human Rights defenders show that Human Rights defenders are not safe, even after they leave Pakistan. Idris Khattak, a human rights defender who was picked up in November 2019 continues to be in secret detention," the statement under reply read. 

READ: Pakistan's Maryam Nawaz Says 'Imran Afraid Of Votes'; Slams PM Over Poll Fraud Allegations

"Stop state-sponsored cross-border terrorism, human rights violation of minority" 

The above-listed points were followed by a piece of advice to Pakistan, referred to as a "country in a dire economic situation". The country was advised to stop wasting time of the Council and its mechanism and to stop state-sponsored cross-border terrorism, along with the institutionalized violation of human rights of its minority and other communities.  

READ: Indian Army Warns Pakistan: 'Ceasefire At LOC Will Have No Impact On Counter-terror Ops'

"No locus standi to comment on J&K"

Touching upon the reference of the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir in the statement of the OIC, the reply read, " IT has no locus standi on matters related to Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral and inalienable part of  India. 

It is regrettable that the OIC continues to allow itself to be exploited by Pakistan to indulge in anti-India propaganda." it added.