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Business News/ News / India/  India calls Osama supporter Khan 'newfound champion of human rights'
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India calls Osama supporter Khan 'newfound champion of human rights'

Indian diplomat’s sharp message follows Khan on Friday warning the international community of possible 'ethnic cleansing' in Kashmir
  • Vidisha Maitra said Khan's threat of unleashing nuclear devastation 'qualifies as brinkmanship not statesmanship'
  • Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. (AP)Premium
    Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. (AP)

    India on Saturday fired a broadside at Pakistan, in reply to its prime minister Imran Khan’s speech a day earlier at the UN general assembly, describing the country as a “newfound champion of human rights" after having “mainstreamed terrorism and hate speech," for decades.

    Exercising India’s right to reply, Vidisha Maitra, first secretary at the Indian mission in the UN in New York, said Pakistan was “trying to play its wild card as the newfound champion of human rights."

    Reminding Pakistan of its record against its minorities, Maitra said: “This 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."

    “Pogroms, Prime Minister Imran Khan Niazi, are not a phenomenon of today’s vibrant democracies. We would request you to refresh your rather sketchy understanding of history. Do not forget the gruesome genocide perpetrated by Pakistan against its own people in 1971 and the role played by Lt. Gen A A K Niazi. A sordid fact that the Prime Minister of Bangladesh reminded this Assembly about earlier this afternoon," Maitra said referring to the slaughter of millions of Bangladeshis in erstwhile East Pakistan in 1971.

    The Indian diplomat’s sharp message follows Khan on Friday warning the international community of possible “ethnic cleansing" in Kashmir after the lifting of restrictions in the region put in place immediately before India on 5-6 August revoked the special status to Kashmir granted under a temporary provision of its constitution.

    In his speech Khan said Muslims and Christians were not safe in India and especially not in Kashmir. He recalled the 2002 Gujarat riots describing it as a “pogrom" against Muslims. He also warned that the situation in Kashmir would spiral out of control and Pakistan and India could drift dangerously towards a nuclear war if the international community did not intervene.

    "If a conventional war starts, anything could happen. But supposing, a country seven times smaller than its neighbour is faced with the choice - either you surrender or you fight for your freedom till death. What will we do? I asked myself this question. And my belief is there is no God but one. And we will fight. And when a nuclear armed country fights to the end, it will have consequences far beyond the borders," khan said in his speech at the UN general assembly on Friday.

    In her response, Maitra said Khan's threat of unleashing nuclear devastation "qualifies as brinkmanship not statesmanship."

    Khan’s war rhetoric was in sharp contrast to Indian Prime Minster indian Narendra Modi’s message from the same podium minutes earlier in which he reminded the UN that India was a country, that has "given the world, not war, but Buddha's message of peace."

    Describing Khan’s speech as a “callous portrayal of the world in binary terms" — "Us vs them, rich vs poor; north vs south, developed vs developing, Muslims vs others," Maitra said it only aimed to foster divisiveness at the United Nations — a stark contrast to the message of unity delivered by Modi.

    “Attempts to sharpen differences and stir up hatred, are simply put - 'hate speech'," the Indian diplomat said.

    "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," Maitra said hitting out at Khan’s choice of words while delivering his speech.

    Khan, during his address, also said “there are no militant organisations in Pakistan" Maitra noted.

    "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," she said and then proceeded to slam Pakistan’s record by firing a volley of questions.

    "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?" she asked.

    "And would Prime Minister Khan deny to the city of New York that he was an open defender of Osama bin Laden?" Maitra said.

    “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?" Maitra questioned.

    “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?" she said.

    “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," she added.


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    Published: 28 Sep 2019, 11:59 AM IST
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