The Congress on Wednesday slammed Pakistan for “mischievously dragging the name of Rahul Gandhi” in a petition by Islamabad reportedly moved in the United Nations on the Kashmir issue.

Party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said that reports have cited an alleged petition moved by the Pakistani government in the UN on Article 370, wherein, Rahul Gandhi’s name has been dragged to justify “the pack of lies and deliberate misinformation being spread by Pakistan”.

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The Congress party further made it clear that Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh were, are and shall always remain an integral part of India.

“Let no one in the world be in doubt that Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh were, are and shall always remain an integral part of India. No amount of diabolical deception by Pakistan shall change this irrevocable truth,” Surjewala said in a statement.

He said Pakistan should instead answer to the world about the “unpardonable and inhumane violations of human rights” in PoK.

Pakistan also owed an explanation for the “designed persecution” of over seven crore Mohajirs (Muslim immigrants of multi-ethnic origin and their descendants, who migrated from various regions of India to Pakistan after the independence of Pakistan) and the killing of over 25,000 of them by its forces, he added.

The Congress leader said besides the instances of human rights violations in Balochistan, thousands had gone missing and mass graves were being uncovered by different agencies.

Let the world be reminded again that almost every terrorist organisation thrives in Pakistan under political and military patronage – be it Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Muhammad, Hizbul Mujahideen, Al-Qaeda or Taliban and its multiple offshoots,” the Congress leader said.

“We urge that Pakistan should answer these issues, both internally to its people as also to the international community, instead of raising the fake Kashmir bogey,” he added.

Meanwhile, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi has “made it clear” that Kashmir is India’s internal matter even as he said that he does disagree with the Centre on many issues.

In a series of tweets, Gandhi said that Kashmir is India’s internal issue and that there is no room for Pakistan or any other foreign country to interfere in it.

The Congress leader further said that there is violence in Jammu and Kashmir which is instigated and supported by Pakistan, known to be the prime supporter of terrorism across the world.