Reacting to former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s recent statement that Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin laden was a hero for Pak, and that his Government promoted militant organisations like lashkar-e-Tayyeba, India has said that Islamabad must stop using terror as State policy.
“Our position on this is very clear. Pakistan must stop using terror as State policy. The sooner they do so, the faster India-Pakistan relations can progress,” said Vikas Swarup, spokesperson for External Affairs Ministry (MEA) on Friday.
India has maintained that Pakistan is not a primary victim of terrorism but of its own policies. “It is in fact the prime sponsor of terrorism”, Swarup said.
On Thursday, Pakistan was booted out of United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) after it failed to win a re-election to the body, managing to get just 105 votes in the 193-member General Assembly. Pakistan’s current term at the Council is set to expire on December 31 and it was seeking re-election to the 47-member Human Rights Council. India is a member of the UNHRC and its term expires in 2017.
Reacting to this, Swarup said that human rights situation in Pakistan is well known. “This was an election and the result was obvious”. Swarup added.
