'War of words' between India and Pakistan over Imran Khan’s UN speech

INDIA has called Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan’s speech at UN general assembly an “incessant rant”.

As a protest to the speech Mijito Vinito, the first secretary at India's UN mission to the UN, had left the assembly hall when Khan’s video address began.

In his speech on Friday(25), Imran Khan had talked about India’s treatment of its minorities, legislative changes to Jammu & Kashmir, and Indian troop presence in the region.

Khan warned of Kashmir being a nuclear flashpoint and said there would be no peace in South Asia until the Kashmir dispute was resolved on the basis of “international legitimacy.”

He also mentioned about Islamophobia around the world, but also made a specific reference to India having state-sponsored Islamophobia.

While exercising India’s ‘Right of Reply’ to Pakistan PM's speech, Vinito said the Pakistani leader had “no reasonable suggestion to offer the world” and his speech was about “lies, misinformation, war mongering and malice.”

"The only crowning glory that Pakistan has to show to the world for the last 70 years is terrorism, ethnic cleansing, majoritarian fundamentalism and clandestine nuclear trade," he said.

Reiterating that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral and inalienable part of India, he said that the recent rules and legislations brought in the region are 'strictly internal affairs of India'.

"This is the same country that provides pensions for dreaded and listed terrorists out of state funds. The leader whom we heard today is the same person who referred to terrorist Osama Bin Laden as a 'martyr'" in the Pakistani Parliament in July," India's diplomat said.

He added that it is Pakistan that brought genocide to South Asia 39 years ago when it killed its own people and it is also the country that is "shameless enough" not to offer a sincere apology for the horrors it perpetrated even after so many years.

“The only dispute left in Kashmir relates to that part of Kashmir that is still under illegal occupation of Pakistan. We call upon Pakistan to vacate all those areas that it is in illegal occupation of," he further said.

Earlier Turkish president Erdogan also mentioned about the Kashmir issue in his address in the general assembly. While Pakistan welcomed it India said it was ‘completely unacceptable’.

"Deeply appreciate President Erdogan once again raising his voice in support of the rights of the Kashmiri people during his address to UNGA. Turkey’s unwavering support remains a source of strength for the Kashmiris in their legitimate struggle for self determination," Imran Khan Tweeted on September 22.