UNITED NATIONS: Indian and Pakistani diplomats were again involved in exchanges on Kashmir in the UN during which India asserted that the State was its integral part and that the right of self-determination cannot be applied to it.
For the second time in three weeks, Pakistan Monday night raised the so-called Kashmir issue in the world body, leading to an Indian response. The two countries had clashed last month in the General Assembly after Pakistani Foreign Minister, Mr. Yaqub Khan referred to the “issue.”
‘Speaking on the item relating to right of peoples to self-determination, a Pakistani delegate, Mr. Muhammad Haroon Shaukat, told the Assembly’s committee dealing with humanitarian issues that his country would “like to draw attention to the unresolved question of Jammu and Kashmir.”
Refraining from the usual Pakistani practice of mentioning the Simla Agreement and the “relevant resolutions of the UN,” he said that Islamabad’s position on the “issue” was well-known and “does not require any reiteration or elaboration.”
Before turning to Kashmir Mr. Shaukat spoke about the plight of Palestinians people of Namibia, Afghanistan and Kampuchea. Mrs. Amarjit Kaur, MP had earlier spoken for India in the same committee.
Exercising the right of reply, the Indian delegate, Mrs. Baswat Mukherjee told the committee “as It is well known, Jammu and Kashmir are an integral part of India and the right of self-determination cannot be applied to integral parts of an independent and sovereign state” Indian position needed no further clarification, she added.
Mr. Shaukat then exercised his right of reply, merely saying that it was not Pakistani delegation’s intention to enter in to a debate on the issue.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 4, 1988
