Parvathaneni Harish, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), on Friday slammed Pakistan for its "unwarranted reference" to Jammu and Kashmir, informing the current non-permanent member of the global body that it was a huge responsibility and not a forum for peddling "biased and false narratives".
Harish delivered India's statement at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) Plenary on the Annual Report of the Security Council in New York and added, "The unwarranted reference by Pakistan to a matter strictly internal to India, the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, has compelled me to respond."
India slams Pakistan over J&K
He further said, "Pakistan has decided not to spare this forum either from its characteristic misuse of august UN platforms for its divisive political interests.
Abuse of its presence on the Security Council by Pakistan, including through the circulation of several misinformed and misleading communications, also testifies to this counter-productive approach. I would like to remind Pakistan that being a member of the UN Security Council (UNSC) is a huge responsibility. It is not a forum for peddling biased and false narratives."
Harish noted, "I would like to make it loud and clear. Jammu and Kashmir was, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India. Any assertions to the contrary are baseless, devoid of facts, and inconsistent with historical facts. Empty rhetoric and hollow claims by Pakistan would not change this fundamental reality."
The Indian envoy also highlighted that the international community recognises the importance of reforming the Security Council to make it fit for purpose to handle the contemporary and future challenges we face.
Pakistan raises India's internal issue in UNGA
His sharply worded criticism came after Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, raised the issue of Jammu and Kashmir in his remarks at the UN General Assembly on Friday on the 'Annual Report of the Security Council'.
Pakistan, which constantly raises the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, along with other issues internal to India, at several UN platforms, currently sits on the Security Council as a non-permanent member, and its tenure will end this year, PTI reported.
India renews call for UN Security Council reform
Calling the current structure of the UN Security Council a reflection of the geopolitical realities of 1945, the Indian envoy said that maintaining the existing framework has hindered the body's effectiveness and is unlikely to meet future global challenges.
He pointed out that the limited reforms introduced in the 1960s, which only increased the number of non-permanent seats, failed to bring any significant change to the Council's functioning. According to him, meaningful reform can only be achieved through an expansion of both permanent and non-permanent membership categories.