India dismissed on Thursday Pakistan’s raising of the Kashmir dispute at multiple fora in the United Nations as “clear interference” in the country’s internal affairs. In one of the Right of Replies exercised by India to respond to comments by Pakistan’s envoy to the UN Maleeha Lodhi, First Secretary in the Indian Mission to the UN Abhishek Singh said Pakistan should refrain from using the Right of Reply and instead “use the right of introspection” to think about the direction in which the country is moving. Lodhi first raised the issue of Kashmir during a UN General Assembly plenary session on the Report of the Secretary General on the Work of the Organisation. The Pakistani envoy to the UN said consultations with Kashmiris, who are an integral part of the Kashmir dispute, are essential to evolving such a peaceful solution to the dispute. She also was adamant over the fact that Pakistan itself was the “biggest victim of terrorism planted on its soil, some of it emanating from our immediate neighbourhood’. Terrorism, she said, was a common threat that called for working together to eliminate it.For the Pakistani delegate, India’s insistence on limiting the talks to a one point agenda proved that it is neither interested nor serious in engaging in a genuine dialogue- nothing new here.Maleeha Lodhi said that Pakistan stands ready to engage in a dialogue with India on all outstanding issues, stating, the unresolved Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains the root cause of tensions and instability in the region. Kashmir is an integral part of the dispute, and is essential to evolving a peaceful solution.If both the counries as neighbours cannot respect each other, then we must not also waste our time with such frivolous talks of conquering mountains, laden with peace and tranquility. Pakistan must recalibrate all of its foreign policy so that it is seen in the international media as taking 360 degree turn- a country wracked by terror and mismanagement now in its way to greatness. If such an image is not created, Pakistan will continue to lose to India, no matter how wrong or unfair Indian foreign policy actually is.
pk.shafaqna.com
