India on Tuesday at United Nations Security Council slammed Pakistan for raking up the Kashmir issue and called upon Pakistan to immediately vacate all areas of Jammu and Kashmir under its illegal occupation.
"I would like to categorical about India's position, the entire Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were, are and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. This includes the areas that are under the illegal occupation of Pakistan. We call upon Pakistan to immediately vacate all areas under its illegal occupation," Dr Kajal Bhat, Counsellor at India's Permanent Mission to the UN, said on Tuesday.
"I am constrained to take the floor once again to respond to some frivolous remarks made by the representative of Pakistan earlier today," Bhat said before beginning her response at UNSC.
Stressing that this is not the first time that the representative of Pakistan has misused platforms provided by the UN to propagate falls and malicious propaganda against India, Bhat said that Pakistan's representatives "sought in vain to divert the world's attention from the sad state of his country, where the terrorist enjoy free pass by the lives of ordinary people especially those belonging to the minority communities are turned upside down." She also emphasised that member states are aware that Pakistan has an established history and policy of harbouring, aiding and actively supporting terrorists.
"This is the country that has been globally recognised as one openly supporting, training, financing and arming terrorists as a matter of state policy," Bhat said.
India's Counsellor also underlined that Pakistan "holds the ignoble record of hosting the largest number of terrorists proscribed by the UNSC".
Stating that New Delhi desires normal neighbourly relations with all countries including Pakistan, she said that India is "committed to addressing outstanding issues if any, bilaterally and peacefully in accordance with the Shimla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration".
"However, any meaningful dialogue can be held only in an atmosphere free of terror hostility and violence," Bhat said.
Bhat made the response after Pakistan's Ambassador to the UN, Munir Akram raked up the Jammu and Kashmir issue in the UN Security Council during the open debate on 'Maintenance of International Peace and Security Through Preventive Diplomacy'.
Bhat, who hails from Jammu and Kashmir, said in her remarks that UN member states are aware that Pakistan has an "established history and policy" of harbouring, aiding and actively supporting terrorists.
(With inputs from ANI and PTI)
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