ISLAMABAD - Pakistan yesterday said that heavens will not fall if India becomes non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

Speaking at a news conference here, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that however, “it is not a not a moment to rejoice. It’s a point of concern as the country
(India) blatantly rejected resolutions of the prestigious forum, particularly on Kashmir”

India is the single endorsed candidate for the Asia-Pacific seat in the non-permanent member category. The elections for five non-permanent members will be held by the UN General Assembly tomorrow (June 27), in which India is likely to be elected for the eighth time. The UNSC consists of 15 members: 10 non-permanent and five permanent members — China, France, Russia, the UK and US.

Qureshi said UNSC was an important forum but India’s non-permanent membership should not be seen as extraordinary because Pakistan had also served at the same position previously for seven times.

Pakistan, he said, had been making efforts for membership at UNSC and had already initiated the process.

He said India had been ignoring the resolutions of UNSC on Kashmir for a long, giving way to an unending oppression on Kashmiris by denying their right to self-determination.

Pakistan, the FM said, had always remained ready to comply with the UNSC resolutions.

Qureshi said, he had been writing letters to the UNSC Secretary General updating him of the brutalities going on in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

He referred to his letters to Organization of Islamic Cooperation highlighting atrocities of Indian occupational forces against innocent Kashmiris.

“The people of Kashmir did not accept India’s August 5th illegal annexation of the Valley as the Indian rulers continued its illegal search operations even during the COVID-19 pandemic situation,” he remarked.

Qureshi said majority of India’s neighbouring countries including Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were not safe from its nefarious and hegemonic designs.

He said India had locked horns with China on Laddakh, named Begalis as termites and meted a negative treatment to Sri Lanka and Nepal.

He added: “India has made dysfunctional the platform of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) and also upset the entire neigbourhood with its inept attitude.”

The Foreign Minister said India’s belligerence had put the regional stability and peace at stake.

He rejected the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act test targeted the minorities, particularly the Muslims.

Responding to the statement of the Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Qureshi said: “I challenge him to visit Muzaffarabad and prove whether the Kashmiris support him.”

The FM said later he or Prime Minister Imran Khan could be invited to Srinagar to see how many people supported Pakistan.

“This test can make it crystal clear. We can see if the Kashmiris support Pakistan or India,” he said.