India Accuses Pakistan of Human Rights Abuses at UNSC

New Delhi – India has strongly condemned Pakistan's human rights record, calling on the nation to end what it describes as "grave and ongoing human rights violations" in territories "illegally occupied" by Pakistan. The remarks were made by India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, during an open debate at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Friday.

Addressing the UNSC during a session held on the 80th UN Day, Ambassador Harish asserted that Jammu and Kashmir "has been, is, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India". He accused Pakistan of military occupation, repression, brutality, and illegal exploitation of resources in the region, stating that the population is in "open revolt" against these actions.

India's strong words follow accusations made by Saima Saleem, Counsellor at Pakistan's Permanent Mission to the UN, who alleged that women in Kashmir have faced "decades of sexual violence" under Indian administration. Saleem cited reports by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch and called for future UN reports to reflect the "plight" of Kashmiri women. India has dismissed these claims as fabricated propaganda.

This is not the first time India has used international platforms to criticize Pakistan's human rights record. Recently, at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, an Indian diplomat, Mohammed Hussain, described it as "deeply ironic" that Pakistan, "a country with one of the world's worst human rights records," would attempt to lecture others on human rights. Hussain urged Pakistan to address the persecution of minorities within its own borders, instead of spreading propaganda.

Geopolitical researcher Josh Bowes, also addressing the UNHRC, highlighted alleged human rights violations in Balochistan. He cited the USCIRF Religious Freedom Report for 2025, which stated that over 700 individuals were imprisoned for blasphemy, a 300% increase from the previous year. Bowes added that the Baloch National Movement's human rights wing, Paank, recorded 785 enforced disappearances and 121 killings in the first six months of 2025 alone.

Ambassador Harish has also stated that concepts of fundamental rights are "alien" to Pakistan, contrasting the situation with the exercise of fundamental rights by people in Jammu and Kashmir. India has accused Pakistan of hypocrisy and systematic human rights violations, with Ambassador Harish stating that Pakistan "bombs its own people" and engages in "systematic genocide". He referenced "Operation Searchlight" in 1971, a military campaign against the Bengali population in then East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, during which widespread atrocities were committed.

India has reaffirmed its commitment to the UN resolution emphasizing that peace and security cannot be achieved by ignoring state-sponsored terrorism and violence against women in conflict zones.