China-backed Pakistan's attempt on Wednesday to portray an alarmist situation over Kashmir during a closed-door meeting at the United Nations Security Council was toppled by India's diplomatic allies particularly US and France.
"We are happy that neither the alarmist scenario painted by the representatives of Pakistan nor any of the baseless allegations made repeatedly by various representatives of Pakistan in UN fora were found to be credible," India's ambassador to the United Nations Syed Akbaruddin told ANI here.
Akbaruddin said that those who attempted to raise Kashmir got a "stinging response" in reference to Bejing's isolation at the United Nations in New York after its efforts to raise the issue for the second time at the world body, more than five months after India revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 last August.
In response to a question related to the outcomes of the informal consultations held today, Akbaruddin told ANI, "The outcomes are on expected lines."
"We are glad that it was pointed out by many friends that bilateral mechanisms are available to raise and address issues that Pakistan may have in its ties with India. Pakistan's practice of using false pretences to distract from addressing the malice that afflicts it has run its course once again," Akbaruddin said.
He further hoped that going forward, Pakistan would now pay heed to the clear signals sent out today and focus on the hard task of ensuring normal relations with India.
Akbaruddin also took to his official Twitter handle to post a picture of the Indian flag fluttering among those of other countries at the United Nations headquarters.
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"Today @UN...our flag is flying high. Those that launched a "False Flag" effort got a stinging response from our many friends...," he posted.
Meanwhile, French diplomatic sources, earlier in the day, told ANI that their country's position remains "unchanged" and the matter must be settled bilaterally between New Delhi and Islamabad.
"France has noted the request of a UNSC member to raise Kashmir issue again in this body. France's position is unchanged -- Kashmir issue must be settled bilaterally as we have stated on several occasions and will continue to reiterate to our partners on UNSC," sources said.
In December last year, France had vetoed the move to convene a meeting on Kashmir. That meeting had been called by China after Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in a letter to the UNSC on December 12, had expressed concern over a possible further escalation of tension between New Delhi and Islamabad after India revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5.
The UNSC had met on Kashmir in August last year, the first such meeting in decades after India revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status.
China, in the meeting, had strongly criticised the move to reorganise Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories.