Do not indulge in 'polemics', says India after Pak rakes up Kashmir in UN

In her remarks, Pakistan's Lodhi said the "Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains a long-standing issue" on the agenda of the Council.

Pakistan's new government must not indulge in "polemics" but work to build a South Asian region free of terror and violence, India has said after Pakistan raked up the Kashmir issue at the UN Security Council.

India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin's remarks came during the UNSC debate on Mediation and Settlement of Disputes.

"I take this opportunity to remind - Pakistan - the one isolated delegation that made unwarranted references to an integral part of India, that pacific settlement requires pacific intent in thinking and pacific content in action," Akbaruddin said at the debate on Wednesday.

Pakistan's Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi raked up the Kashmir issue during the debate, drawing a sharp reaction from Akbaruddin who said Pakistan is "regurgitating a failed approach, which has long been rejected, is neither reflective of pacific intent nor a display of pacific content.

"We hope that the new government of Pakistan will, rather than indulge in polemics, work constructively to build a safe, stable, secure and developed South Asian region, free of terror and violence," Akbaruddin said, a reference to the government in Pakistan under newly-elected Prime Minister Imran Khan.

In her remarks, Lodhi said the "Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains a long-standing issue" on the agenda of the Council. She said through its various resolutions, the Security Council has provided that the final disposition of the State of Jammu and Kashmir will be made in accordance with the will of the people "expressed through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite" conducted under the auspices of the United Nations.

She said the Security Council also instituted several mechanisms including the UN Commission on India and Pakistan (UNCIP), the deployment of the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) and the appointment of UN representatives.

"Sadly, these resolutions remain unimplemented to date. The international community cannot succeed in its efforts to strengthen conflict prevention and promote pacific dispute settlement if the Security Council's own resolutions are held in abeyance, by some.

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