Pakistan is 'terroristan', land of pure terror

India slams Pak as Kashmir takes centre stage at UNGA

UNITED NATIONS: After Pakistan warned it against pursuing the doctrine of 'limited war' as it raked up the Kashmir issue at United Nation General Assembly, India came out all guns blazing, describing the neighbouring country as 'terroristan' and a land of 'pure terror' that hosts a flourishing industry to produce and export global terrorism.
In a no-holds-barred speech at the UN General Assembly, India's representative said it is extraordinary that the state which protected Osama Bin Laden and sheltered Mullah Omar should have the gumption to play the victim.
"By now, all Pakistan s neighbours are painfully familiar with these tactics to create a narrative based on distortions, deception and deceit," Eenam Gambhir, a First Secretary in the Permanent Mission of India to the UN, said, asserting that efforts at creating alternative facts do not change reality.
"In its short history, Pakistan has become a geography synonymous with terror," she said.
Playing on the country's name, which means 'land of pure', she said the quest for a land of pure has actually produced 'the land of pure terror'. Pakistan is now 'Terroristan', with a flourishing industry producing and exporting global terrorism, she said.
Asserting that Pakistan's current state can be gauged from the fact that Hafiz Mohammed Saeed, a leader of the United nations designated terrorist organisation Lashkar-e- Taiba, is now sought to be legitimised as a leader of a political party, Gambhir said that Pakistan's counter-terrorism policy is to mainstream and upstream terrorists by either providing safe havens to global terror leaders in its military towns, or protecting them with 'political careers'.
"The state of Jammu and Kashmir is and will always remain an integral part of lndia. However much it scales up cross- border terrorism, it will never succeed in undermining India s territorial integrity, she said.
The hard statements came as India was exercising its right to reply after Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi raked up the Kashmir issue at the General Assembly, alleging that the struggle of the people in the Valley is being "brutally suppressed" by India.
In his maiden speech at UN, Pakistan PM Abbasi earlier accused India of indulging in terror activities against his country and warned of a "matching response" if it "ventures across the LoC" or acts upon its "doctrine of limited war against Pakistan."
He urged the United Nations to appoint a special envoy to Kashmir, claiming that the struggle of the people in the region is being "brutally suppressed" by India.
He also claimed that there are no Taliban safe havens in Pakistan.
"Having suffered and sacrificed so much due to our role in the global counter terrorism campaign, it is especially galling for Pakistan to be blamed for the military or political stalemate in Afghanistan," Abbasi said.
Attacking Pakistan, Gambhir said having diverted billions of dollars in international military and development aid towards creating a "dangerous infrastructure of terror" on its own territory, Pakistan is now speaking of the high cost of its terror industry.
"The polluter, in this case, is paying the price," she said.
"Even as terrorists thrive in Pakistan and roam its streets with impunity, we have heard it lecture about the protection of human rights in India. The world does not need lessons on democracy and human rights from a country whose own situation is charitably described as a failed state," Gambhir said.
"Terroristan is in fact a territory whose contribution to the globalisation of terror is unparalleled. Pakistan can only be counseled to abandon a destructive worldview that has caused grief to the entire world. If it could be persuaded to demonstrate any commitment to civilization, order, and to peace, it may still find some acceptance in the comity of nations," she said.
Earlier, Pakistan PM Abbasi has said, "The Kashmir dispute should be resolved justly, peacefully and expeditiously. As India is unwilling to resume the peace process with Pakistan, we call on the Security Council to fulfil its obligation to secure the implementation of its own resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir."
He said the UN Secretary General should appoint a special envoy on Kashmir. "His mandate should flow from the longstanding but unimplemented resolutions of the Security Council."
He lamented that despite over 600 ceasefire violations on the India-Pakistan border since January this year, Pakistan has acted with restraint.
The Pakistani prime minister said the "legitimate struggle for self-determination" of the people of Jammu and Kashmir continues to be "brutally suppressed" by Indian security forces.
Abbasi, who assumed office few months ago, mentioned Kashmir a total of 17 times and India 14 times among other things in his speech.
He also claimed that from day one of its creation, Pakistan has faced "unremitting hostility" from its eastern neighbour (India).
"India refuses to implement the unanimous resolutions of the UN Security Council, which mandate a UN supervised plebiscite to enable the people of Jammu and Kashmir to freely decide their destiny," he said.
Abbasi demanded an international investigation into the alleged atrocities in Kashmir and sending of an inquiry commission to the Valley.
He alleged that the Indian security forces' "brutalities" clearly constitute war crimes and violate the Geneva Conventions.
However, he said that Pakistan remains open to resuming a comprehensive dialogue with India to address all outstanding issues, especially Kashmir and discuss measures to maintain peace and security in the region.
"This dialogue must be accompanied by an end to India's campaign of subversion and state sponsored terrorism against Pakistan, including from across our western border," Abbasi said.