New York: India’s envoy to United Nations, TS Tirumurti called on Pakistan to vacate Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) 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 UNSC, 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.”
Asked about India, Pakistan ties, the envoy said: “India desires normal neighborly relations with Pakistan” and “if there are issues between India, Pakistan it should be resolved bilaterally and peacefully” reminding of the Shimla agreement which “provides for a bilateral discussion and resolution of issues”.
