With stoic silence by member nations at UNHRC, Pak likely to drop demand for Kashmir debate

New Delhi, Sep 14: Despite the claims made, Pakistan has failed to find any traction at the UNHRC to push for a debate on the Kashmir issue.

Pakistan has made at least four attempts for an urgent debate on the issue but has failed to find any support.

Sources tell OneIndia that barring China, none of the other countries has been receptive to Pakistan's push. All the rest of the nations have not commented on the issue, the source also added.

Pakistan has repeatedly claimed over the past week that it has managed to muster the support of several countries on the issue. It had even said that a list of these countries would be provided to the Indian officials present at Geneva. Indian officials are yet to receive the list. Moreover, Pakistan has not listed the countries that it claims to have the support of.

Officials familiar with the development say that Pakistan may not end up pushing for the resolution or debate on Kashmir. There is absolutely no support for any such move and Pakistan would rather drop the demand rather than have it defeated, the official also noted.

Pakistan had recently 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 counteroffensive 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.