Indian-Americans, others demonstrate at United Nations charging Pakistan with supporting terror groups

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Indian-Americans and people of other national origins, held a protest rally outside the United Nations headquarters in New York, March 3, urging the global organization to make Pakistan end terror groups from operating in its territory.

Organizers estimated some 400 people from different nationalities gathered at the United Nations, accusing Pakistan of fostering cross-border terrorism in India and Afghanistan and sponsoring global terrorism.

The protesters were holding placards that announced the various terrorist attacks around the world including the Germany Embassy, London subway and bridge attacks, Kabul, and New York City, as well as the most recent suicide bombing Feb. 14, in Pulwama, in Jammu & Kashmir which killed 40 Indian paramilitary personnel,

“People from different nationalities including India, Caribbean countries, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Israel, Balochistan (part of Pakistan) expressed their solidarity to (sic) the protest,” a press release from Krishna Anugula, president of the Overseas Friends of Bharatiya Janata Party, said.

Jagdish Sewhani, president of the American India Public Affairs Committee in another press release, addressed the media that was at the event, charging Islamabad with “shielding Terrorists,” like Al-Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Haqqani network.  Sehwani also called on the Modi government to end the special status for Jammu & Kashmir under Article 370, and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his strong leadership in relation to the recent attack by Indian Air Force jets on what New Delhi identified as a terror training camp in Balakot, in Pakistani territory.

Richard Benkin, a human rights activist identified in the press release from Anugula, as a “Jewish American” is quoted saying in the press release, “Pakistan long has been a cancer on the international body politic. It was allowed to get away with sponsored attacks on India for decades, but that time has passed. A new and strong Indian resolve defends the nation. We all must stand with India and let Pakistan know that its cowardice and support for terror will go unanswered no longer.”

In the same press release, a Bangladeshi American from BHBCU (Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council) is quoted harking back to the 1971 war with Pakistan and the atrocities committed. Vincent Bruno, a Hindu-American activist is quoted saying, “India has a responsibility to her citizens and the world to end the state bred Islamic terrorism within Pakistani borders. My advice is India take her own (sic) in this and not be overly influenced by any foreign power.”

Slogans and posters listed several organizations that are designated as terrorist by the United States, and which organizers said, “grew out of Pakistan soil” such as Al-Qaeda, Lakshar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Haqqani network, Taliban, Laskshar-e-Omar, Sipah-e-Sahaba, JKLF and their associated terrorists such as Osama Bin Laden, Masood Azhar, Rashid Rauf, Hafiz Saeed, Jalaluddin Haqqani.”

The protestors demanded that UN should make Pakistan accountable for Pulwama, Mumbai and other terror attacks, dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism and ban all terrorist organizations operating from Pakistan’s soil, hand-over Masood Azhar to India to face trial, set free Indian prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav immediately and hand-over international criminal Dawood Ibrahim, according to the press release from Anugula.