UNHRC: Pakistan claims support of 60 un-identified nations on Kashmir

New Delhi, Sep 12: Pakistan has claimed the support of 60 nations before the UNHRC on the human rights situation in Kashmir.

While claiming the support of 60 nations, Pakistan has however not identified the countries. The claim was made in the joint statement on the human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan posted on the website of the Foreign Office the statement and even said that the list of countries would be submitted to the Indian delegation at Geneva. However, India is yet to receive the list.

India has been keeping a close watch on the resolution Pakistan wants to push at the UNHRC. Pakistan has been seeking an urgent debate on the Kashmir issue. India is however confident that Pakistan will not get the required number for the same.

In order for Pakistan to succeed, it would need a simple majority of the UNHRC members. Voting would be required for a resolution or urgent debate.

To counter Pakistan on the Kashmir issue, India has drawn out a detailed plan. To set the narrative against Pakistan, the external affairs minister, S Jaishankar had engaged several countries. India decided to go on the counter offensive and raise the human rights violations that Pakistan has been committing. The condition of the minorities in Pakistan, violations in Pakistan occupied Kashmir are some of the issues that India would raise at the forum.

India is confident of beating down the Pakistan narrative as many nations would come to its support. Some of the nations include, Japan, Australia, Nepal, Egypt among others.

India hopes to get maximum support during the procedural vote on the Pakistan sponsored debate on Kashmir. India would also look to ensure that there are minimum abstentions of nations that support India. In all India has so far engaged with 47 nations on this issue.

Last month, Pakistan said that it had sent another letter to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. The letter highlighted in detail the context and consequences of India scrapping the special status to Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, it said.

India has categorically told the international community that its move to remove the special status to Jammu and Kashmir was an internal matter and has also advised Pakistan to accept the reality.

Earlier on August 4, Qureshi had written to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet and also held a telephonic conversation with her on August 8 on the Kashmir issue, the Foreign Office said.