India has strongly condemned Pakistan at the United Nations Security Council, accusing it of a long-tainted record of genocidal acts and systematic targeting of civilians in Afghanistan. Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, Permanent Representative of India to the UN, made the remarks during the Annual UNSC Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict, highlighting Pakistan’s alleged involvement in cross-border violence that has caused widespread civilian suffering.

Parvathaneni cited documentation from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), which reported that in the first three months of 2026, 750 civilian deaths and injuries were recorded as a result of cross-border armed violence perpetrated by Pakistani military forces.

He noted that 94 of 95 incidents of civilian casualties were attributed to Pakistani security forces, underscoring the scale of the violence. He described Pakistan’s actions as genocidal, pointing to the deliberate targeting of civilian areas through air strikes.

The Indian envoy drew particular attention to the barbaric airstrike conducted by Pakistan on the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul during the holy month of Ramadan. According to UNAMA, this attack killed 269 civilians and injured 122 more, striking a facility that could not be justified as a military target. Parvathaneni condemned the act as cowardly and unconscionable, stressing that it occurred at the conclusion of tarawih evening prayers when patients were leaving the mosque attached to the hospital.

He accused Pakistan of ignoring international calls to protect civilians and uphold humanitarian obligations, describing its conduct as hypocritical. He reminded the Council that the UN Secretary-General had urged member states to respect international obligations, including the principle of non-refoulement in Afghanistan, but Pakistan had chosen to disregard these appeals entirely. India also raised the issue of cross-border terrorism, insisting that states supporting terrorism must be held accountable for their actions.

Parvathaneni further highlighted that over 94,000 people were displaced due to cross-border armed violence against Afghan civilians. He argued that such acts of aggression were consistent with Pakistan’s history, recalling its conduct during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.

He referred to Operation Searchlight, during which Pakistan sanctioned a systematic campaign of genocidal mass rape of 4,00,000 women, describing this as evidence of Pakistan’s repeated attempts to externalise internal failures through violence both within and beyond its borders.

India’s envoy stressed that Pakistan’s actions reveal a pattern of disregard for humanitarian law, morality, and international norms. He accused Pakistan of bombing its own people and conducting systematic genocide, asserting that the world can see through its propaganda.

He also voiced concern over attacks on civilians, hospitals, schools, and humanitarian workers in conflict zones globally, urging the international community to strengthen accountability and ensure humanitarian access.

In his concluding remarks, Parvathaneni reiterated that the protection of civilians must remain central to the Security Council’s efforts to maintain international peace and security. He called for collective action to restore respect for international humanitarian law, protect medical care, responsibly govern emerging technologies, and alleviate the suffering of civilians affected by armed conflict.

India’s intervention at the UNSC thus underscored its firm stance against Pakistan’s alleged atrocities and its broader commitment to safeguarding civilian lives in conflict zones.

ANI