"Unworthy" to even respond: India on Pakistan FM raking up Kashmir at UNSC debate

"Before I conclude, let me dismiss the frivolous, baseless and politically motivated remarks made by the delegate of Pakistan regarding the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir," Ruchira Kamboj said.

India has slammed Pakistan for raking up Kashmir issue against at a Security Council debate on women, peace and security and called it is "unworthy" to even respond to such "malicious and false propaganda".

Responding to Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's remarks on Jammu and Kashmir, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj on Tuesday termed his statement as "baseless and politically motivated".

"Before I conclude, let me dismiss the frivolous, baseless and politically motivated remarks made by the delegate of Pakistan regarding the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir," she said.

Speaking at the UN Security Council open debate on 'Women, Peace and Security', Ms Kamboj said: "my delegation considers it unworthy to even respond to such malicious and false propaganda."

"Rather, our focus is where it shall always be - positive and forward-looking. Today's discussion is critically important to strengthen our collective efforts to accelerate the full implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda. We respect the topic of the debate and recognise the importance of time. As such, our focus shall remain on the topic," she said.

Kamboj's sharp retort came after Pakistan Foreign Minister Zardari referred to Jammu and Kashmir in his remarks to the Council debate held under Mozambique's Presidency for this month, on the eve of International Women's Day.

India has previously told Pakistan that the entire territories of the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have been, are, and shall always be part of India.

India has been maintaining that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan, while insisting that the onus is on Islamabad to create an environment that is free of terror and hostility for such an engagement.

The ties between India and Pakistan came under severe strain after India's warplanes pounded a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist training camp in Pakistan's Balakot in February 2019 in response to the Pulwama terror attack.

The relations further deteriorated after India in August 2019 announced the withdrawal of Jammu and Kashmir's special powers and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into Union Territories.

However, Pakistan, of late, has been sending feels to have a peace talk with India. In an interview with Dubai-based Al Arabiya TV in January, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan has learned its lesson after three wars with India and stressed that now it wants peace with its neighbour.

He called for a "critical and honest talk" with his PM Narendra Modi on "burning points like Kashmir". "My message to the Indian leadership and Prime Minister Modi is that let's sit down on the table and have serious and sincere talks to resolve our burning points like Kashmir. It is up to us to live peacefully and make progress or quarrel with each other and waste time and resources," Sharif said.