United Nations: India has strongly criticised Pakistan at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) over “unwarranted references” to Jammu and Kashmir, accusing it of repeatedly misusing UN platforms to push its political agenda and spreading misleading narratives on issues that New Delhi considers its internal affairs.
Jammu and Kashmir remains an “integral and inalienable” part of the country, India’s permanent representative to the UN, Parvathaneni Harish said while addressing the UNGA plenary meeting on the Annual Report of the UN Security Council.
“The unwarranted reference by Pakistan to a matter strictly internal to India, the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, has compelled me to respond,” Harish said.
His remarks came after Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, raised the Kashmir issue during the discussion, reiterating Islamabad’s position that the dispute should be resolved in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions, as reported by News18.
“Pakistan has decided not to spare this forum either from their char
acteristic misuse of august UN platforms for their divisive political interests. I’d like to remind Pakistan that being a member of the UN Security Council is a huge responsibility. It’s not a forum for peddling biased and false narratives,” Harish added.
Pakistan had circulated “misinformed and misleading communications” while serving on the Security Council, India claimed.
There was no ambiguity about the region’s status, Harish said while reiterating New Delhi’s long-standing position on Jammu and Kashmir.
“Jammu and Kashmir was, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India. Any assertions to the contrary are baseless, devoid of and inconsistent with historical facts,” he said.
Pakistan’s statements would not alter the reality on the ground, he added.
“Empty rhetoric and hollow claims by Pakistan would not change this fundamental reality,” the diplomat said.
India also renewed its demand for reforms in the UN Security Council during the discussion, arguing that the existing structure no longer reflects current global realities.
The annual report of the Security Council should be presented earlier in the year, Harish said while stressing the need to make the body more representative and effective.
“Retaining the status quo has so far not enabled effective functioning of the Security Council and cannot do so in future,” the Indian representative said.
India is in support of expanding both the permanent and non-permanent categories of Security Council membership as part of broader UN reforms.
Harish also congratulated Austria, Kyrgyzstan, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, and Zimbabwe on their election to the UN Security Council for the 2027-28 term.