 "India slams Pakistan's 'Special Terrorist Zones' at UN: Top 10 developments")
India's representatives at the United Nations have coined a new term for Pakistan's safe haven for terrorists – special terrorist zones. This comes after India described Pakistan as "terroristan" and the "Ivy League of terror".
India on Thursday urged the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to call on Pakistan to end cross-border infiltration, dismantle its special terrorist zones, safe havens and sanctuaries, and take verifiable actions, including on terror financing.
The new term came into play as part of India's response to Pakistan raising the issue of human rights violations in Jammu & Kashmir. In return, India highlighted at the UNHRC Pakistan's human rights violations.
Here are the top highlights of what India had to say at the UN about Pakistan and its support for terrorism:
1) Pakistan's habit to misuse UNHRC: Mini Devi Kumam, second secretary and India's Permanent Mission at UNHRC, said it had become a habit of Pakistan to misuse the UNHRC platform to make misleading references about internal matters pertaining to Jammu & Kashmir.
2) India shows Pakistan the mirror: At the UNHRC on Thursday, India highlighted human rights violations by Pakistan. India's response came after Pakistan raised the issue of human rights violations in Jammu & Kashmir. "This Council should be mindful that the dubious concern for human rights is coming from a country which has systematically abused and violated the human rights of the people in Baluchistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well as Pakistan-occupied Kashmir," Kumam said at the 37th Session of UNHRC.
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3) Pakistan using human rights as a mask: Kumam also said: "Pakistan has long been attempting to mask its territorial ambitions and use of terrorism as a state policy under the guise of concern for human rights."
4) 'Pakistan committing grossest violation': The Indian representative further told the UNHRC that by exporting terrorism to Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan was committing the grossest violation of human rights. "Terrorism is the grossest violation of human rights. The real problem in the State of Jammu & Kashmir is terrorism, which has constantly received sustenance from Pakistan and territories under its control," Kumam asserted.
5) 'End your support for terror': India urged the UNHRC to call on Islamabad to end cross-border infiltration and to dismantle its special terrorist zones, safe havens and sanctuaries. New Delhi also called on the country to take verifiable actions, including those regarding terror financing.
6) 'Free Pak-occupied Kashmir': The Indian representative told the UNHRC that Pakistan should end its illegal and forcible occupation of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and provide freedom to its people.
7) India slams Pakistan's blasphemy laws: While highlighting the misuse of blasphemy laws in Pakistan, India said Islamabad should end the harassment of minorities. India also called on Pakistan to place procedural and institutional safeguards to prevent the misuse of laws.
8) 'End forced conversions': Kumam also demanded that Pakistan should end forced conversions and marriages of minorities, including Hindu, Sikh, and Christian women, and prosecute all such cases.
9) 'End enforced disappearances': India also highlighted enforced disappearances and unlawful killing of political dissidents by Pakistani security forces. "We urge the Council to call on Pakistan to stop targeting political dissidents and legitimate criticism in Sindh, Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and to stop torture, enforced disappearances and unlawful killing, including that of journalists and activists, by its security agencies. Pakistan should also prosecute all perpetrators of such crimes," Kumam said.
10) 'End sectarian violence': India also demanded an end to of sectarian violence, systemic persecution and attacks on Muslim minorities, such as Shias, Ahmadiyas, Ismailis, and Hazaras, in Pakistan.