Daijiworld Media Network – United Nations

United Nations, Jul 23: India delivered a strong rebuttal to Pakistan at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), accusing Islamabad of using cross-border terrorism as an instrument of state policy and misusing the international forum to spread a "false narrative" on Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaking during the UNSC High-Level Open Debate on "Natural Resources Governance: The Foundation of Peace, Security and Prosperity" on Wednesday (US local time), India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir "has always been, is, and will remain" an integral and inalienable part of India.

Responding to Pakistan's intervention during the debate, Harish said India had not intended to raise bilateral issues but was compelled to respond after Pakistan allegedly attempted to advance misleading claims.

"It was not our intention to bring other issues in this forum, but my delegation is compelled to respond to Pakistan, as it has chosen to misuse today's discussion to peddle its false narrative," he said.

The Indian envoy asserted that the constitutional and legal status of Jammu and Kashmir is settled and rejected Pakistan's repeated claims over the region.

"For the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, it has always been, is, and will remain an integral and inalienable part of India. This is the constitutional and legal reality that Pakistan deliberately chooses to ignore," he said.

Harish further stated that the only unresolved issue concerning Jammu and Kashmir relates to what India describes as Pakistan's illegal occupation of parts of its sovereign territory.

"The only outstanding issue with regard to Jammu and Kashmir is the naked aggression and illegal occupation of India's sovereign territory by Pakistan," he said.

The Indian envoy also addressed the Indus Water Treaty, stressing that meaningful cooperation requires mutual trust and goodwill, which cannot exist alongside cross-border terrorism.

"Our position on the Indus Water Treaty remains clear and consistent. Cooperation on the basis of mutual trust and goodwill cannot be expected when cross-border terrorism is regularly deployed as an instrument of State policy," Harish said.

In his concluding remarks, the ambassador urged Pakistan to focus on resolving its own internal issues rather than criticising India on international platforms.

"Instead of pointing fingers at India, Pakistan would serve itself and its people far better by putting its own house in order," he said.