India sharply criticised Pakistan at the UN Security Council, raising concerns over terrorism, Afghan civilian casualties and attacks on hospitals and humanitarian infrastructure.
India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Harish Parvathaneni addresses the UNSC Open Debate on protection of civilians in armed conflict in New York. | ANI
India launched a strong attack on Pakistan at the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday, accusing Islamabad of carrying out cross-border violence against Afghan civilians and using terrorism as a tool to destabilise the region.
Speaking at the UNSC Open Debate on ‘Protection of civilians in armed conflict’, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, cited figures from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) to allege that Pakistani military operations had led to large-scale civilian casualties in Afghanistan.
Advertisement
The remarks came during a broader UN discussion on civilian safety in conflict zones, humanitarian access and attacks on medical facilities. India used the platform to reiterate its concerns over cross-border terrorism, the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, and the growing threat posed by emerging military technologies such as drones and AI-enabled systems.
Advertisement
Calling Pakistan’s statements at the UN “ironic”, Parvathaneni said Islamabad had a “long-tainted record” of violence against civilians.
“UNAMA has reported that in the first three months of 2026, 750 civilian deaths and injuries were documented in Afghanistan as a result of cross-border armed violence perpetrated by Pakistani military forces,” he said.
According to the Indian envoy, UNAMA attributed 94 out of 95 civilian casualty incidents to Pakistani security forces.
Parvathaneni also referred to an alleged Pakistani airstrike on the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul during Ramadan earlier this year.
“The world has not forgotten that it was during the holy month of Ramadan in March this year, at a time of peace, reflection, and mercy, that Pakistan conducted a barbaric airstrike on the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul,” he said.
He added that the attack killed 269 civilians and injured another 122 people, citing UNAMA findings. “This cowardly and unconscionable act of violence claimed the lives of civilians in a facility which can by no means be justified as a military target,” he said.
India also renewed its criticism of states accused of sponsoring terrorism, with Parvathaneni stating that countries supporting terror groups must be held accountable under international law.
“India has been a victim of cross-border terrorism for decades,” he said, adding that “no cause or grievance can justify deliberate attacks against civilians”.
The envoy said over 94,000 people had reportedly been displaced due to cross-border violence in Afghanistan.
In one of the sharpest moments of his speech, Parvathaneni invoked Pakistan’s role during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.
“During Operation Searchlight in 1971, Pakistan sanctioned the systematic campaign of genocidal mass rape of 400,000 women citizens by its own army. Such inhuman conduct reflects Pakistan’s repeated attempts over decades to externalise internal failures through increasingly desperate acts of violence both within and beyond its borders. With no faith, no law, and no morality, the world can see through Pakistan’s propaganda,” he said.
India also used the debate to push for a stronger global commitment towards civilian protection in conflict zones.
Parvathaneni said civilian deaths across 20 armed conflicts exceeded 37,000 in 2025, even though the figure marked the first decline after three consecutive years of increase.
“India calls for zero tolerance to the loss of civilian lives,” he said.
He expressed concern over repeated attacks on hospitals, schools, humanitarian workers and medical personnel, saying such incidents reflected an erosion of respect for international humanitarian law.
The Indian envoy also warned about the increasing use of drones and explosive weapons in urban warfare.
“The growing trend of use of drones to deploy explosive weapons in urban areas is especially concerning,” he said, while calling for safeguards against the misuse of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems in armed conflicts.
Concluding his address, Parvathaneni said the protection of civilians must remain central to the UNSC’s efforts to maintain international peace and security.
The remarks were made during the annual UNSC debate held under China’s presidency for the month.
Advertisement
