A day after Pakistan Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Maleeha Lodhi presented an image of a girl from Gaza as a victim of pellet guns in Kashmir, India diplomat Paulomi Tripathi on Monday said that Islamabad exploited the picture of an injured Palestinian girl to spread falsehoods about India and to divert attention from its role as a global terror hub.
"The Permanent Representative of Pakistan misled this Assembly by displaying this picture to spread falsehood about India. A fake picture to push a completely false narrative," said Paulomi Tripathi, a junior most Indian diplomat at the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations.
Poinitng to a photograph of Lt Ummer Faiyaz, a young soldier from Kashmir who was kidnapped, tortured and killed by terrorists, Tripathi said: "This is Lt Ummer Faiyaz's real picture, not fake. The officer from Jammu and Kashmir was brutally tortured and killed by Pakistan-supported terrorists in May 2017."
"This is a true picture. It portrays a harsh reality. A picture of terror emanating from across our borders that the people of India, especially in Jammu and Kashmir, have to struggle with daily," Tripathi said.
Here's the full text of her speech:
Mr. President,
I take the floor to respond to the statement made by the Permanent Representative of Pakistan in the exercise of right of reply, in the evening of Saturday, September 23.
The Permanent Representative of Pakistan, in her statement, yet again sought to divert attention from Pakistan's role as the hub of global terrorism. She did so by callously holding up a picture of an injured girl.
It was a photograph of Rawya abu Jom'a, a girl from Palestine. The picture was taken on 22 July 2014 by an American photographer Heidi Levine. This photograph was published by New York Times on 24 March 2015 under the caption 'Conflict, Courage and Healing in Gaza'.
The Permanent Representative of Pakistan misled this Assembly by displaying this picture to spread falsehoods about India. A fake picture to push a completely false narrative.
Mr. President,
In view of this cynical and misleading attempt by Pakistan, we are constrained to show this Assembly, a photograph that reflects the real picture of pain inflicted by the nefarious designs of Pakistan on India.
This is a real and not a fake picture of Lt. Ummer Fayaz. A young officer from the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir. Ummer Fayaz was kidnapped at a wedding celebration. He was brutally tortured and killed by Pakistan supported terrorists in May 2017.
This is a true picture. It portrays a harsh and tragic reality. A picture of terrorism emanating from across our borders that the people of India, especially in the state of Jammu and Kashmir have to struggle with, every day. This is the reality which the Permanent Representative of Pakistan sought to obfuscate.
Mr. President,
The true face of Pakistan is not hidden from anyone.
Thank you Mr. President.
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