On Kashmir, Pakistan Told "Citizens Of India Don't Need..."

India delivered a sharp rebuttal to Pakistan's continued criticism of the centre's decision on Kashmir, telling the United Nations General Assembly that its citizens did not need anyone else, "least of all those who have built an industry of terrorism from an ideology of hate", to speak on their behalf. In a carefully calibrated response to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's speech on Friday, India also expressed concern over Pakistan's "virulent reaction" to the withdrawal of Article 370 which, the government said, had prevented the integration and development of Jammu and Kashmir.

"The mainstreaming of Jammu and Kashmir, as well as Ladakh, in India's thriving and vibrant democracy, with a millennia-old heritage of diversity, pluralism, and tolerance is well and truly under way," Vidisha Maitra, First Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, told the UN after India exercised its right to reply to Pakistan's speech.

"The citizens of India do not need anyone else to speak on their behalf, least of all those who have built an industry of terrorism from an ideology of hate," she added.

Pakistan has been unsuccessful in repeated attempts to raise the Kashmir issue on the global stage and win support for its cause; the international community has agreed it is an internal matter for India.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, whose appeals on the subject have also found little favour with the United States and President Donald Trump, addressed the UN on Friday and warned of "consequences" if two nuclear-armed nations fought.

India's response was the second rebuttal of the day for Mr Khan - a senior US diplomat earlier questioned the Pakistan leader over his silence over Uighur Muslims being detained in China in "concentration-like conditions".

"I would like to see the same level of concern expressed about Muslims detained in Western China, literally in concentration-like conditions... being concerned about human rights of Muslims does extend more broadly than Kashmir," Alice Wells, US Acting Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia, was quoted in a report by news agency PTI.

Mr Khan, asked about the Uighurs at a think tank on Monday, declined comment, saying Pakistan had a "special relationship" with China and would only raise issues in private.

The Pakistan Prime Minister's war rhetoric was in contrast to Prime Minister Modi's message a few minutes earlier, in which he said India is a country that had "given the world, not war, but Buddha's message of peace."

Without naming Pakistan, PM Modi said there needed to be more anger about what terrorism was doing to humanity. "When we raise our voice against terror, it is with seriousness and anger," he said