Terrorists enjoy free pass in Pakistan: Indian diplomat Madhu Sudan at UNSC

India slammed Pakistan at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), highlighting how "terrorists enjoy free pass" in the country while the lives of "ordinary people, especially those belonging to the minority communities, are turned upside down."

The remarks from India’s Permanent Mission to the UN, R Madhu Sudan, came after Pakistan raked up the Kashmir issue at the council during a debate on “protection of civilians in urban settings”.

"Member states are aware that Pakistan has an established history and policy of harbouring, aiding and actively supporting terrorists", he said on Monday.

Adding, “This is a country which has been globally recognised as one openly supporting, training, financing and arming terrorists as a matter of state policy.”

There have been a number of terror attacks in India—from the 2008 Mumbai terror attack to Uri and Pulwana attacks of 2016 and 2019—where the links with the Pakistan based terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba or Jaish-e-Muhammad have been established.

Other than India, there have been other international terror attacks, including the recent Texas attack, that have had links with Pakistan.

The main perpetrator of the Texas hostage incident was identified as Malik Faisal, a UK resident of Pakistani origin.

Pointing out that Pakistan holds the "ignoble record of hosting the largest number of terrorists proscribed by the UNSC”, the Indian diplomat recalled when Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan called the 9/11 conspirator, Osama Bin Laden, a “martyr” during a debate at the national assembly in June last year.

“Pakistani Prime Minister (Imran Khan)and foreign minister (Shah Mahmood Qureshi) have been called out for being supporters of terrorists, including Osama Bin Laden, but they continue to carry on the same path undeterred,” he said.

He also raised the issue of the 26/11 terror incident, saying that the “perpetrators of the heinous terror attack in Mumbai in 2008 continue to enjoy the patronage of the state which they represent”.

On Pakistan raising the Kashmir issue, the Indian diplomat reminded said, “The union territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh were, are, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India, irrespective of what the representative of Pakistan believes or covets.”

 He called on Pakistan to “immediately vacate all areas under its illegal occupation”.