United Nations, Jan 16: India sharply criticised Pakistan for what it called the misuse of the concept of self-determination to attack democratic and pluralistic nations, accusing Islamabad of pushing falsehoods over Kashmir.

“At a time when member states have to rise beyond their narrow considerations, Pakistan continues to misuse all platforms and processes in the UN to drive their divisive agenda”, Eldos Punoose, a counsellor at India’s UN Mission, said on Thursday at the General Assembly.

“The right to self-determination is a fundamental principle enshrined in the UN Charter. However, this right must not be abused to encourage secession in pluralistic and democratic states,” he said.

Punoose declared, “Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, an integral and inalienable part of India”.

He was responding to Pakistan’s Permanent Representative Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, who referred to Kashmir when the Assembly was discussing Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s report on the work of the UN in the past year.

Regardless of the topic on the agenda, Pakistan repeatedly brings up Kashmir, even though other members ignore its fulminations, letting them slip into irrelevance.

“This forum is no exception either, and Pakistan made an unwarranted reference to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, an integral and inalienable part of India”, Punoose said.

“Though habituated, Pakistan would do well if they do not resort to baseless allegations and falsehoods and portrays a picture that is completely detached from reality,” he added.

Ahmad, as he has done before, spoke of self-determination for the Palestinian people and sneaked in a reference to Kashmir.

He spoke about respect for UN resolutions.

However, Security Council Resolution 47, adopted on April 21, 1948, demands that Pakistan withdraw its forces and infiltrators from all of Kashmir.

India maintains that a plebiscite in Kashmir is now irrelevant because the people of Kashmir have made clear their allegiance to India by participating in elections and by electing the leaders of the territory.

Ahmad repeated Pakistan’s opposition to expanding the Security Council’s permanent membership solely because of its animosity towards India.

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It puts its odds with the majority of UN members, especially the African countries, who have been denied permanent representation because of the colonial hold over the formation of the world organisation.

(IANS)