India Slams Pakistan’s ‘Propaganda’ at UNHRC, Says J&K Budget Bigger Than Pakistan’s IMF Bailout

India gave a strong reply to Pakistan at the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, accusing it of spreading false propaganda and highlighting the clear contrast between development in Jammu Kashmir and Pakistan’s economic troubles, noting that J&K’s development budget is more than double the bailout Pakistan recently sought from the International Monetary Fund.

 

 

Exercising India’s Right to Reply during the high-level segment held on February 25, Anupama Singh, India’s representative, firmly rejected the allegations made by Pakistan and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), saying grouping had allowed itself to be used as an “echo chamber” for one member state.

 

 

 

Singh reiterated India's longstanding position that Jammu and Kashmir "was, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India." She said the accession of the region to India in 1947 was "completely legal and irrevocable," in accordance with the Indian Independence Act and international law.

 

 

"The only outstanding dispute regarding this region is the illegal occupation of Indian territories by Pakistan," she stated, calling on Islamabad to vacate areas under its control.

 

 

Rejecting Pakistan’s claims, Singh said its “incessant propaganda now reeks of envy.”

 

 

"If the Chenab Rail Bridge, the world's highest bridge, inaugurated in Jammu and Kashmir last year, is fake, then Pakistan must be hallucinating or living in the 'La-la-land'', she said.

 

 

She added that Jammu and Kashmir’s development budget is more than double the recent bailout Pakistan sought from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).