India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, P. Harish, has sharply criticised Pakistan for what he termed as “grave and ongoing human rights violations” in the regions of Jammu and Kashmir illegally occupied by Islamabad.

Speaking at a Security Council meeting marking the 80th anniversary of the UN, Harish asserted that democratic and constitutional ideals are “alien” to Pakistan, which is dominated by its military establishment.

He stated that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are able to exercise their rights fully under India's longstanding democratic traditions and constitutional order. In contrast, he accused Pakistan of suppressing the fundamental rights of Kashmiris in areas under its control, where populations continue to openly revolt against military rule.

Harish rejected Pakistan’s recurring claims over Security Council-mandated plebiscite procedures, highlighting that Resolution 47 of April 1948 primarily required Pakistan to withdraw all its armed forces, security personnel, and civilians from territory it had invaded. He emphasised that Islamabad’s failure to adhere to this central demand has rendered those historic claims obsolete.

Recent reports indicate that Pakistan has responded to local unrest with brutality, including a security crackdown last month that led to at least 12 civilian deaths in occupied regions. India used this to underline Islamabad's continued violation of human rights and its refusal to implement the provisions of international resolutions in good faith.

Harish also criticised Pakistan’s attempts to “twist” the Security Council’s original intent in its continued narrative on Kashmir, asserting that Kashmiris in the Indian-administered region have integrated themselves into India’s democratic processes.

Highlighting Pakistan’s international conduct, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in New Delhi drew attention to Islamabad’s persistent support for global terrorism. He lamented the UN’s challenges in confronting terrorism, especially given that Pakistan currently sits on the Security Council despite its record.

Harish echoed these concerns at the UN, pointedly questioning the credibility of multilateralism when a Council member shields terror groups like The Resistance Front and its patron Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), both of which were linked to the April attack in Pahalgam which left 26 civilians dead. He noted that Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, the UN-sanctioned founder of LeT, continues to operate with impunity in Pakistan.

India’s statements underscored its position that the path forward for Kashmir lies in upholding human rights, ending military repression, and respecting democratic principles—a formula which, in India's view, remains unrecognised and unimplemented by Pakistan.

Based On IANS Report