Pak practises terror on its own people

I take the floor to exercise the right of reply in response to the long tirade of Pakistan about the situation in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.

The worst violation of human rights is terrorism. When practised as an instrument of state policy it is a war crime. What my country and our other neighbours are facing today is Pakistan's long-standing policy of sponsoring terrorism, the consequences of which have spread well beyond our region.

Only last week, the international community honoured the memory of thousands of innocent victims from around the world, who lost their lives not far from here in New York 15 years ago in a most horrifying terror attack.

The world has not yet forgotten that the trail of that dastardly attack led all the way to Abbottabad in Pakistan.

The land of Taxila, one of the greatest learning centres of ancient times, is now host to the Ivy League of terrorism. It attracts aspirants and apprentices from all over the world.

The effect of its toxic curriculum are felt across the globe.

It is ironic, therefore, that we have seen today the preaching of human rights and ostensible support for self-determination by a country, which has established itself as the global epicentre of terrorism.

Shortly before Pakistan gave its hypocritical sermons in this august house today, its envoy in New Delhi was summoned in the context of the most recent of the terror attacks in Uri that claimed 18 Indian lives. That terrorist attack is part of a trail of continuous flow of terrorists trained and armed by our neighbour and tasked to carry out terrorist attacks in my country.

What we see in Pakistan, is a terrorist state, which channelizes billions of dollars, much of it diverted from international aid, to training, financing and supporting terrorist groups as militant proxies against it neighbours.

Even today we have heard support by the prime minister of Pakistan for a self-acknowledged commander of a known terrorist organisation, Hizbul Mujahideen.

Pakistan is a country with a democracy deficit. In fact, it practises terrorism on its own people. It extends support to extremist groups, it suppresses minorities and women and denies basic human rights including through draconian laws.

As a democracy India is firmly resolved to protect all our citizens from all acts of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. We cannot and will not allow terrorism to prevail.

Edited excerpts from senior diplomat at India's UN mission, Eeenam Gambhir in New York on September 21