'Pakistan needs to vacate PoK', says Indian Envoy to UN Tirumurti 

India's envoy to United Nations T S Tirumurti called on Pakistan to vacate Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and reminded Islamabad the onus is on them to create an atmosphere free from terror for talks. At a presser on the August agenda of the United Nations Security Council, Tirumurti said, "Jammu and Kashmir is an integral and inalienable part of India. If there needs to be a change in status, it is the vacation of Pakistan occupied Kashmir". 

He was responding to a Pakistani journalist, who persistently raised Kashmir and India's abrogation of special status for the erstwhile state. As a custom, every UNSC president holds a presser on the first working day of the presidency. India, which is a non-permanent member of the UNSC for two years, holds the presidency this month. 

The Indian envoy reminded the Pakistani journalist, "These are constitutional changes and these changes are within our constitution and these changes are entirely the prerogative of the Parliament of India. I don't think that at this point of time, we are discussing anything else. It is absolutely legitimate on our parliament to pass, rules and regulations relating to Jammu and Kashmir." 

India as the president of the council will hold three signature events, one on August 9 on Maritime Security, which will see an address by PM Modi and two others on Peacekeeping (August 18) and Counter-terror (August 19) to be chaired by External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar.  

When asked about India and Pakistan ties, the envoy said, "India desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan" and "if there are issues between India and Pakistan it should be resolved bilaterally and peacefully" reminding of the Shimla agreement, which "provides for a bilateral discussion and resolution of issues". 

He highlighted that these issues should be resolved in an atmosphere "free from terror and hostility and violence" and "the onus is on Pakistan to create such a conducive atmosphere including by taking credible and verifiable action not to allow any territory under its control to be used for cross border terrorism against India". 

India will be president of the UNSC next in December 2022. India has been president of the body in June 1950, September 1967, December 1972, October 1977, February 1985, October 1991, December 1992, August 2011, November 2012. The president decides the agenda for the month, coordinates important meetings and other related issues, and is an influential position.