Geneva, September 27, 2016: India has termed Pakistan "a terrorist state", and urged the UN Human Rights Council to Islamabad to do an honest introspection and to focus its energies on acting against perpetrators of terrorist attacks on its neighbours from its territory.
"In Pakistan, our region is dealing with a terrorist state, which has for years with complete impunity channelized billions of dollars from international aid, to training, financing and supporting terrorist groups as militant proxies against its neighbours," India's Permanent Mission in Geneva said on Monday while exercising its right to reply to a statement by Pakistan at the 33rd Session of of the UNHRC.
"Internationally proscribed terrorist entities and their leaders continue to roam the streets of Pakistan freely and operate with state support; even raising funds openly in flagrant violation of Pakistan's international obligations," the Indian mission said in a statement.
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"We call upon the Council to urge Pakistan to engage in honest introspection and focus its energies on acting against perpetrators of terrorist attacks on its neighbours from its own territory."
The statement comes in the wake of the September 18 cross-border terrorist attack on an Indian Army camp at Uri in Jammu and Kashmir, in which 18 soldiers lost their lives.
The attack came amidst large-scale violence in Jammu and Kashmir that has claimed 90 lives in the wake of the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani in July.
Regretting Pakistan's continued misuse of the UNHRC to make tendentious references about internal matters pertaining to the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian statement said: "Their misinformation campaign, backed by fabricated facts and figures on this issue, only reflects the desperation that has seeped into their narrative."
It said Pakistan's continued support for terror groups operating in Jammu and Kashmir was the main challenge to protecting the human rights of Indian citizens in the state.
"Pakistan's selective approach in tackling terror groups operating outside Pakistan and within, despite the numerous solemn promises made underscores the continuing unwillingness to acknowledge the truth," it stated.
"We remind the government of Pakistan that it had made a solemn commitment in January 2004 to not allow its soil or territory under its control to be used for terrorism against India. The persistent and growing violation of this undertaking is a matter of very serious concern."
India also sought credible action on the part of Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and the attack on the Pathankot air base in January this year to justice.
"The latest terrorist attack in Uri, where 18 Indian soldiers lost their life and over 20 injured, only underlines that the infrastructure of terrorism in Pakistan remains active," the statement said.
"The recovery of GPS, grenades with Pakistani markings, communication matrix sheets and equipment and other stores made in Pakistan, and patterns of infiltration and attacks, is clear evidence of the involvement of terror organisations based in Pakistan or territory under its control."
Demanding that Pakistan should live up to its public commitment to refrain from supporting and sponsoring terrorism, India reiterated that it was not the only victim of Pakistan's preaching, practicing, encouraging and nurturing terrorism. "The deleterious impact of Pakistan's irresponsible and short-sighted approach of terrorism as state policy has started showing in other countries of South Asia and beyond."
"It is unfortunate that Pakistan's trust in the methods of terror is so deep that it does not hesitate from using them on its own people in Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well as the tribal areas in its northwest," the statement said.
"This coupled with the utter disregard for the human rights of religious and sectarian minorities has turned Pakistan into the true epicenter of global terror."
The Indian mission said that countering terrorism emanating from Pakistan, "that has turned out to be the most acute violator of human rights", was the only way to address the risk to peace and stability of the region. (IANS)