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The escalating tensions between India and Pakistan over the disputed region of Kashmir were once again thrust onto the global stage at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The drama unfolded as Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his address, accused India of violating international law and human rights in Jammu and Kashmir, calling for the reversal of the 2019 abrogation of Article 370, which had granted the region special status. Sharif's speech, laced with accusations of Indian aggression and a call for self-determination for Kashmiris, triggered a swift and assertive response from India.
India, exercising its right of reply, delivered a scathing rebuke of Pakistan's allegations, painting a stark contrast to the narrative presented by Sharif. Bhavika Mangalanandan, First Secretary of India's Permanent Mission to the UN, accused Pakistan of being a nation steeped in a culture of terrorism and hypocrisy, citing its history of cross-border attacks on India, including the 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament and the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. Mangalanandan pointed to the hypocrisy of Pakistan, a country with a history of rigged elections, criticizing India's democratic process. She asserted that Pakistan's true agenda was to covet Indian territory and that it had consistently employed terrorism to destabilize the Jammu and Kashmir region.
The Indian diplomat further underscored the irony of Pakistan's claims, reminding the international community that the country's own history was littered with instances of undermining democratic principles. India's response, while firmly rejecting Pakistan's accusations, emphasized its commitment to resolving the Kashmir issue through dialogue. The government reiterated its longstanding position that the issue is an internal matter, while simultaneously emphasizing the importance of engaging with the international community to expose Pakistan's role in perpetuating terrorism in the region. This exchange at the UNGA serves as a stark reminder of the long-standing and complex Kashmir dispute, highlighting the deep-rooted mistrust and animosity that continues to plague relations between the two nuclear-armed nations.