India tears into Pakistan foreign minister's remark at UN: here's why

India tore into Pakistan after its foreign minister raised the issue of Jammu and Kashmir at a Security Council debate on women, peace and security, saying it is “unworthy” to even respond to such “malicious and false propaganda”.

Responding to Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s remarks on Jammu and Kashmir, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj on Tuesday termed his statement as “baseless and politically motivated”.

“Before I conclude, let me dismiss the frivolous, baseless and politically motivated remarks made by the delegate of Pakistan regarding the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,” she said.

Speaking at the UN Security Council open debate on ‘Women, Peace and Security’, Kamboj said: “my delegation considers it unworthy to even respond to such malicious and false propaganda.”

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"Rather, our focus is where it shall always be – positive and forward-looking. Today’s discussion is critically important to strengthen our collective efforts to accelerate the full implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda. We respect the topic of the debate and recognise the importance of time. As such, our focus shall remain on the topic,” she said.

Kamboj’s sharp retort came after Pakistan Foreign Minister Zardari referred to Jammu and Kashmir in his remarks to the Council debate held under Mozambique’s Presidency for this month, on the eve of International Women’s Day.

India has previously told Pakistan that the entire territories of the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have been, are, and shall always be part of India.

India has been maintaining that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan while insisting that the onus is on Islamabad to create an environment that is free of terror and hostility for such an engagement.

The ties between India and Pakistan came under severe strain after India's warplanes pounded a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist training camp in Pakistan's Balakot in February 2019 in response to the Pulwama terror attack.

The relations further deteriorated after India in August 2019 announced the withdrawal of Jammu and Kashmir's special powers and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into Union Territories.