ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Foreign Office has said that before preaching moderation to the world, India must set its own house in order.
In response to media queries on the Indian External Affairs Minister’s tweet regarding India’s priorities during the presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said that the Indian External Affairs Minister has spelled out three key priorities for India during its presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of August: voice of moderation; advocate of dialogue; proponent of international law.
“It is highly hypocritical of a Country that has systematically done away with any semblance of moderation, efforts for dialogue and abiding by international law, to project itself as the voice of these three,” he said.
The Spokesperson said that the extremist ‘Hindutva’ ideology has permeated all the state institutions of India, and RSS-BJP regime’s record is replete with instances of gross and systematic violations of the rights of minorities, in particular Muslims.
Chaudhri said that as for dialogue, India has consistently scuttled any efforts for a constructive and meaningful dialogue in its own neighbourhood.
The Foreign Office Spokesperson said that on assuming office, Prime Minister Imran Khan clearly underlined that if India took one step for peace, Pakistan would take two.
“However, rather than engaging in dialogue, India vitiated the environment through its illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019,” he said.
The Spokesperson said that it’s India, which has to create the enabling environment for a meaningful dialogue that promotes peace and precludes the occurrences leading to conflict in the region.
“As for international law, India remains in clear violation of the United Nations Security Council resolutions for more than seven decades,” he said.
Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said that the series of Indian illegal and unilateral actions since August 5, 2019 are also in blatant violation of international law including the UN Charter, UNSC resolutions, and the fourth Geneva Convention.
“India would be well-advised to abide by these principles before projecting itself as their champion,” he added.
