India on Friday told the United Nations General Assembly that Pakistan plays the “victim of terrorism” but instead fosters terrorists in its backyard.

“This is the country which is an arsonist disguising itself as a fire-fighter,” said India’s First Secretary Sneha Dubey at the General Assembly.

Dubey’s remarks came in reply to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s demand that India should stop “human rights violations and demographic changes” in Kashmir, Dawn reported.

Khan also said that India should reverse its “unilateral and illegal measures” taken since 2019, Dawn reported.

On August 5, 2019, the Indian government had revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, and divided the erstwhile state into two Union Territories.

Dubey on Friday said that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh “were, are and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India”. She emphasised that this includes the areas that are occupied by Pakistan.

Dubey said that this was not the first time that Pakistan had tried to divert the world’s attention from its involvement with terrorist groups. She added that Islamabad was using the United Nations platform to “propagate false information” against India.

The Indian diplomat also alleged that Pakistan was “nurturing” terrorists with the hope of harming its neighbours.

Dubey added that the United Nation’s members were aware of Pakistan’s history and policy of harbouring, aiding and actively supporting terrorists.

“It holds the ignoble record of hosting the largest number of terrorists proscribed by the UN Security Council,” she said. “This is also the country that still holds the despicable record in our region of having executed a religious and cultural genocide against the people of what is now Bangladesh.”

The Indian official claimed that the entire world had suffered because of Pakistan’s policies. “On the other hand, they are trying to cover up sectarian violence in their country as acts of terror,” Dubey said.

The Sikh, Hindus and Christians communities in Pakistan fear suppression of rights by the government, Dubey said at the General Assembly. “Dissenting voices are muzzled daily, and enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings are well-documented,” she added.

However, Dubey said that India wants to maintain normal relations with all its neighbours, including Pakistan. She added that Islamabad would have to work on fostering a “conducive atmosphere” by ensuring that its territory is not used for terrorism against India.