'Every year, the same tired...': India fires back at Pakistan at United Nations over remarks on Kashmir and women's rights

India has once again taken a firm stance against Pakistan at the United Nations, during a Security Council debate focused on women, peace, and security. In his speech, India’s permanent representative to the UN, Parvathaneni Harish, accused Pakistan of continuing its ‘delusional tirades’ against India, particularly regarding Jammu and Kashmir. Harish remarked that Pakistan’s unrelenting claims over Kashmir were baseless and urged the international community to see through Pakistan’s manipulation.

He also condemned Islamabad for its dismal record on women’s rights, highlighting the country's historical violations. "Pakistan’s claims are an exercise in hyperbole, designed to mislead the world,” Harish said. He referred to Pakistan’s 1971 military operation, Operation Searchlight, as an example of Pakistan’s disregard for human rights, citing the systematic genocide and mass rape of over 400,000 women by Pakistani forces during the operation.

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The Indian diplomat’s remarks came in response to a speech by Pakistan’s counsellor at the UN, Saima Saleem, who discussed the suffering of Kashmiri women under Indian rule. Saleem claimed that sexual violence in Kashmir has been used as a weapon of war for decades, and emphasised the role of international organisations such as Human Rights Watch in documenting these alleged violations. Saleem also argued that excluding Kashmiri women from the women, peace, and security agenda undermines the legitimacy of the UN’s work, as the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is a central issue for the Security Council.

What was Operation Searchlight?

Operation Searchlight was a military operation conducted by the Pakistani Army in 1971, aimed at quelling the independence movement in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). The operation resulted in the deaths of between 300,000 to 3,000,000 people, with reports of mass sexual violence and systemic rape affecting up to 400,000 women. The atrocities of Operation Searchlight prompted millions of refugees to flee to neighbouring India, which intervened militarily in support of East Pakistan’s independence, leading to the creation of Bangladesh.

India’s rebuke of Pakistan’s PM at UN

This latest verbal exchange comes after India sharply criticised Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the UN General Assembly. Sharif presented wrong facts regarding Operation Sindoor and Pakistan's supposed victory during the May standoff between the two countries.