Pakistan must shut down its 'terror factory': India at UNHRC

Geneva [Switzerland], Mar. 10 (ANI): India in its response to a statement by a Pakistan delegation urged Islamabad to 'shut down its terror factory' which it said is the foremost challenge to stability in Kashmir. "The foremost challenge to the stability in Kashmir is the scourge of terrorism, which receives sustenance from Pakistan and the territories under its control. In the wake of growing international concern, Pakistan must shut down its terror factory," Alok Ranjan Jha, Counsellor Permanent Mission of India (PMI), Geneva, said at the United Nations Human Rights Council. He also urged Pakistan to focus its energies on improving its human rights situation and dismantling the terrorism infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir to bring peace and stability to the region. Jha said that Pakistan keeps referring to the United Nations Security Council Resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir, but, forgets its own obligation under these resolutions to first vacate the illegal occupation of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. It has also blatantly disregarded its other commitments, be it under the 1972 Simla Agreement, the 2004 Joint Declaration foreswearing terrorism and the understanding between the two sides at Ufa in 2015. The Indian side pointed out that former Pakistani president General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf, and this week, Pakistan's former national security advisor Mahmud Ali Durrani had admitted that several terrorist groups were supported and trained by Pakistan to create disturbances in Kashmir. Durrani, who was speaking at the 19th Asian Security Conference held at the Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses in New Delhi, had admitted that the 2008 Mumbai terror attack that killed 166 people including many foreigners was carried out by a Pakistan-based terror group. The concrete evidence about cross-border encouragement and support for the protests in Kashmir has been handed over to Pakistan. Instead of working with a sense of purpose to address this issue, Pakistan resorts to shortsighted tactics to divert attention, said Jha. He said Pakistan's human rights record in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir and Balochistan is deplorable. (ANI)