India strongly criticised Pakistan at the United Nations during a debate on women, peace, and security. India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Parvathaneni Harish, accused Pakistan of repeating its “delusional tirade” about Jammu and Kashmir.
He stated that Pakistan continues to covet Indian territory and misleads the global community with false claims. Harish highlighted that every year, Pakistan uses the UN platform to spread baseless allegations against India. He emphasised that India will continue to expose Pakistan’s attempts to distort the truth on international forums.
India Accuses Pakistan of Violating Women’s Rights
During his address, Parvathaneni Harish criticised Pakistan for its poor record on women’s rights. He accused Islamabad of “misdirecting the world with hyperbole” while ignoring its own history of violence against women. He cited Operation Searchlight of 1971, when the Pakistani Army conducted mass atrocities in then East Pakistan.
Harish reminded the UN that during the operation, Pakistani forces raped nearly 400,000 Bengali women as part of a genocidal campaign.
He stated that the world clearly recognises Pakistan’s propaganda and its attempts to divert attention from its own human rights violations.
India’s response came after Counsellor Saima Saleem from Pakistan’s UN mission raised the issue of Kashmiri women.
VIDEO | New York: “India has consistently contributed to UN peace keeping as an expression of our commitment to global peace,” says Parvathaneni Harish (@AmbHarishP), Permanent Representative of India to UN.#UnitedNations
(Full video available on PTI Videos -… pic.twitter.com/BPTwBEs2Gg
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 7, 2025
Saleem alleged that Kashmiri women have suffered sexual violence under Indian administration for decades. She cited reports from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the UN Human Rights Council to support her claims.
Saleem accused India of using sexual violence as a weapon of war and called for inclusion of Kashmiri women in the Women, Peace and Security agenda. India dismissed these claims as fabricated and politically motivated, stressing that Jammu and Kashmir is an internal matter.
Operation Searchlight: Pakistan’s Atrocities in 1971
Operation Searchlight was a military operation launched by the Pakistani Army in 1971 to suppress the Bengali nationalist movement in East Pakistan, now Bangladesh.
The campaign resulted in the killing of an estimated 300,000 to 3,00,000 Bengalis and the mass rape of about 400,000 women. The Pakistani forces committed large-scale atrocities, leading to one of the worst genocides in history.
Pakistan is a country that conducted Operation Searchlight in 1971 and sanctioned a systematic campaign of genocidal mass rape of 400,000 women citizens by its own army. The world sees through Pakistan’s propaganda: India https://t.co/iJBLmpGRu7
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) October 7, 2025
Nearly 10 million Bengali refugees fled to India during the operation. These events ultimately triggered the 1971 Liberation War, which resulted in the creation of an independent Bangladesh.
UNSC Holds Debate on Women, Peace and Security
The United Nations Security Council held a debate on Women, Peace, and Security to mark the 25th anniversary of Resolution 1325.
The resolution, adopted in 2000, focuses on preventing violence against women and ensuring their participation in peace processes.
It highlights the disproportionate impact of armed conflicts on women and girls. Member nations discussed progress and challenges in implementing the resolution. India reaffirmed its commitment to gender equality, women’s empowerment, and protection of women’s rights during conflicts.
India’s Previous Rebuke to Pakistan at UN
In September, India had also criticised Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s address at the UN General Assembly.
During his speech, Sharif presented misleading facts about Operation Sindoor and claimed victory in the May standoff with India. Operation Sindoor was an Indian military operation launched after the Pahalgam terror attack in April.
Indian forces targeted multiple terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir during the operation. India clarified that Pakistan’s narrative was false and reaffirmed its commitment to countering terrorism originating from Pakistani soil.
Swastika Sruti is a Senior Sub Editor at NewsX Digital with 5 years of experience shaping stories that matter. She loves tracking politics- national and global trends, and never misses a chance to dig deeper into policies and developments. Passionate about what’s happening around us, she brings sharp insight and clarity to every piece she works on. When not curating news, she’s busy exploring what’s next in the world of public interest. You can reach her at [swastika.newsx@gmail.com]
