In a sharply worded rebuttal at the UN Human Rights Council, India strongly criticised Pakistan, accusing it of spreading misinformation and failing to acknowledge the economic and developmental progress in Jammu and Kashmir.

India’s representative said Pakistan must be “hallucinating” or living in “La-La land” if it finds it difficult to believe that Jammu and Kashmir’s development budget is more than double the recent bailout package Islamabad sought from the International Monetary Fund. The remarks highlighted what India described as Pakistan’s economic fragility and its reliance on external financial assistance to stay afloat.

India also rejected allegations raised by Pakistan and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, accusing the grouping of allowing itself to be used as an “echo chamber” for Islamabad’s political agenda. New Delhi asserted that Pakistan’s repeated attempts to internationalise the Kashmir issue were driven by frustration and an inability to address its own internal crises.

The Indian delegation further said Pakistan’s “incessant propaganda reeks of envy,” pointing to the region’s infrastructure growth, increased investments, and governance reforms since constitutional changes were implemented in Jammu and Kashmir. According to India, these developments reflect stability and progress, in contrast to Pakistan’s continued economic struggles and political instability.

India also accused Islamabad of diverting attention from its domestic challenges, including financial distress, political turmoil, and security concerns, by raising what it termed as baseless allegations on international platforms.

The strong exchange underscores the continuing diplomatic tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, with India reiterating that Jammu and Kashmir remains an integral part of the country and rejecting any external interference in its internal affairs. 

This image is taken from Times Of India.