Geneva: In another setback in its attempts to raise the Kashmir issue at the global level, Pakistan on Thursday failed to garner the required support at the 42nd UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session here to place a resolution on Kashmir within the stipulated deadline of 1 pm (local time).
Reliable sources said that most member states refused to support Pakistan for placing a resolution on Kashmir.
Though Pakistan had made desperate attempts to garner the required support, it also failed to get the support of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries consisting of 57 member states.
India`s diplomatic efforts appeared to have clearly paid off by persuading the international community on its ability to manage the affairs of Jammu and Kashmir as an `internal matter` of the country.
India has sent a high-level delegation to UNHRC, consisting of 47 countries, led by Ajay Bisaria, former India`s ambassador to Pakistan, to counter Pakistan on Kashmir.
Last week, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had claimed that 58 countries had joined his country in the Human Rights Council “reinforcing” the demand of the international community on India to lift the restrictions and “protect Kashmiris` rights”.
On September 12 at the UNHRC meeting in Geneva, India firmly rejected Pakistan`s allegations, saying a “fabricated narrative” on Jammu and Kashmir has come from “the epicentre of global terrorism” and from a nation, which conducts cross-border terrorism as a form of `alternate diplomacy`.
The clash occurred after Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi claimed earlier in the day that India had transformed Jammu and Kashmir into a largest “caged prison on this planet” by abrogating Article 370 and that human rights were being “trampled with impunity” there.
India’s counter offensive to Pakistan at the top human rights body on September 10 was led by its Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs Vijay Thakur Singh, who firmly put forth India’s stance on Kashmir and rebutted Pakistan’s shrill allegations of human rights violations.
Flanked by former Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan Ajay Bisaria, who was expelled by Islamabad after India revoked special status for Kashmir, Singh told the UNHRC that there was a need to call out those who are misusing it for “malicious political agenda under the garb of human rights”.
She also later met UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet and briefed her on the steps taken by New Delhi to bring about normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir.
Singh also conveyed to Bachelet about India’s concerns on the threats posed by cross-border terror emanating from Pakistan.