New Delhi, Nov 7 (IANS) India on Friday slammed Pakistan for its support to terrorist groups, calling it a “factory of terrorism and a global epicentre of terrorism.”

When asked about Pakistan’s institutional help to terrorist organisations and Pakistan minister’s recent visit to Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) institution, Jaiswal responded, “We all know, you know, which country is the factory of terrorism, which country is the global epicentre of terrorism. So, … I need not elaborate more for you to get an answer to your question.”

Earlier in October, Pakistan made a renewed attempt to legitimise its terrorism by defending its terrorist brigades sent across to attack India by making the outlandish claim that they are freedom fighters. India denounced it as “doublespeak and hypocrisy” by the “epicentre” of global terrorism.

Nations should “distinguish between terrorism and the exercise of the legitimate right of people to resist foreign occupation”, Muhammad Jawad Ajmal, a Counsellor at Pakistan’s UN Mission, said.

He falsely claimed that the “distinction is duly observed in International Law, International Humanitarian Law, and General Assembly resolution 46/51 which also endorses this position”.

However, a 1994 General Assembly declaration expressly states, “Criminal acts intended or calculated to provoke a state of terror in the general public, a group of persons or particular persons for political purposes are in any circumstance unjustifiable, whatever the considerations of a political, philosophical, ideological, racial, ethnic, religious or any other nature that may be invoked to justify them.” This is reiterated in a 2004 Security Council resolution and the 1999 International Convention Against Financing Terrorism adopted by the UN General Assembly.

The Assembly resolution that Ajmal cited, 46/51 adopted in 1991, makes a glancing mention of liberation struggles, but does not legitimise terrorism carried out under that claim, and goes on to stress that it “once again unequivocally condemns as criminal and unjustifiable, all acts, methods, and practices of terrorism wherever and by whomever committed”.

It demanded that all nations “fulfil their obligations under international law to refrain from participating in terrorist acts in other states”.

Raghoo Puri, a First Secretary at India’s UN Mission, sought to set Pakistan right, saying, “Terrorism is among the gravest of offences that fundamentally violates the core of humanity. It represents the worst of bigotry, violence, intolerance and fear and terrorists are the worst of the worst in humankind.”

“Pakistan’s doublespeak and hypocrisy also stand exposed,” he said.

He added, “Pakistan is a well-known epicentre of terrorism, with established link to multiple terror attacks across the world targeting innocent nationals.”

Ajmal made the absurd attempt to misinterpret international law during the interactive dialogue with Ben Saul, the Special Rapporteur on Fundamental Freedoms While Countering Terrorism.

It was held by the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee that deals with humanitarian affairs.

–IANS

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