Vidisha Maitra, First Secretary MEA (L) and Pakistan PM Imran Khan (R) at the UNGA. Vidisha Maitra, First Secretary MEA (L) and Pakistan PM Imran Khan (R) at the UNGA.

Exercising its Right to Reply at the United Nations General Assembly, India on Saturday criticised Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for his “hate speech”, and said his threat of unleashing nuclear devastation qualifies as “brinksmanship, not statesmanship”.

Vidisha Maitra, First Secretary MEA, said Khan’s “justification of terrorism was brazen and incendiary”, and said the world would hold him to his promise of allowing UN Observers to verify that there are no militant organisations in Pakistan.

“Having mainstreamed terrorism and hate speech, Pakistan is trying to play its wild card as the newfound champion of human rights,” Maitra said.

India Right to Reply at UNGA: Top quotes

On Imran Khan’s ‘bloodbath’ remark

Vidisha Maitra said, “Every word spoken from the podium of this August Assembly, it is believed, carries the weight of history. Unfortunately, what we heard today from Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan was a callous portrayal of the world in binary terms — Us vs Them; Rich vs Poor; North vs South; Developed Vs Developing; Muslims vs Others. A script that fosters divisiveness at the United Nations.

“Attempts to sharpen differences and stir up hatred are simply put — “hate speech”. Rarely has the General Assembly witnessed such misuse, rather abuse, of an opportunity to reflect. Words matter in diplomacy. Invocation of phrases such as “pogrom”, “bloodbath”, “racial superiority”, “pick up the gun” and “fight to the end” reflect a medieval mindset and not a 21st-century vision,” she added.

On Imran Khan’s threat of unleashing nuclear devastation

“Prime Minister Khan’s threat of unleashing nuclear devastation qualifies as brinksmanship, not statesmanship. Even coming from the leader of a country that has monopolised the entire value chain of the industry of terrorism, Prime Minister Khan’s justification of terrorism was brazen and incendiary,” India said.

“For someone who was once a cricketer and believed in the gentleman’s game, today’s speech bordered on crudeness of the variety that is reminiscent of the guns of Darra Adam Khel. Now that Prime Minister Imran Khan has invited UN Observers to Pakistan to verify that there are no militant organisations in Pakistan, the world will hold him to that promise,” Maitra added.

India questions Pak on providing pension to global terrorists

“Can Pakistan confirm the fact that it is home to 130 UN-designated terrorists and 25 terrorist entities listed by the UN, as of today? Will Pakistan acknowledge that it is the only Government in the world that provides pension to an individual listed by the UN in the Al Qaeda and Da’esh Sanctions list,” asked India.

‘Pakistan was open defender of Osama bin Laden’

India said Pakistan was an open defender of global terrorist Osama bin laden. “Can Pakistan explain why here in New York, its premier bank, the Habib Bank had to shut shop after it was fined millions of dollars over terror financing? Will Pakistan deny that the Financial Action Task Force has put the country on notice for its violations of more than 20 of the 27 key parameters? And would Prime Minister Khan deny to the city of New York that he was an open defender of Osama bin Laden?”

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On human rights in Pakistan

“Pakistan is a country that has shrunk the size of its minority community from 23% in 1947 to 3% today and has subjected Christians, Sikhs, Ahmadiyas, Hindus, Shias, Pashtuns, Sindhis and Balochis to draconian blasphemy laws, systemic persecution, blatant abuse and forced conversions. Their newfound fascination for preaching human rights is akin to trophy hunting of the endangered mountain goat – markhor,” India said, in its Right to Reply at the UNGA.

On Imran Khan’s remark on Kashmir

“Pakistan’s virulent reaction to the removal of an outdated and temporary provision that was hindering development and integration of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir stems from the fact that those who thrive on conflict never welcome the ray of peace,” Maitra said.

“While Pakistan has ventured to upstream terrorism and downstream hate speech there, India is going ahead with mainstreaming development in Jammu and Kashmir. The mainstreaming of Jammu & Kashmir, as well as Ladakh, in India’s thriving and vibrant democracy with a millennia-old heritage of diversity, pluralism and tolerance is well and truly underway.

“Irreversibly so. Citizens of India do not need anyone else to speak on their behalf, least of all those who have built an industry of terrorism from the ideology of hate,” she added.

Full text: India’s Right to Reply at UNGA by Vidisha Maitra

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