Is Pakistan's Hypocrisy on Terrorism and Child Rights Exposed at UNSC?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- India firmly rejects Pakistan's attempts to divert attention from its own abuses.
- Pakistan is accused of grave violations against children.
- India's zero-tolerance policy on terrorism is reiterated.
- Operation Sindoor highlights India's proactive measures against terrorism.
- Jammu and Kashmir is emphasized as an integral part of India.
United Nations, June 26 (NationPress) India has firmly rejected what it referred to as Pakistan's nefarious agenda at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), accusing Islamabad of trying to distract from its own human rights abuses and state-sponsored cross-border terrorism.
India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, delivered a pointed response during the UNSC's open debate on Children and Armed Conflict (CAC), denouncing Pakistan for misusing the platform and breaching the Council's agenda.
"Pakistan is casting unwarranted aspersions over UN processes and also maligning India in various discussions to pursue its nefarious agenda. We reject this attempt by Pakistan to divert attention from the atrocities committed against children in their country, as highlighted in the Secretary-General's report, alongside their rampant cross-border terrorism," stated Harish.
The Indian envoy labeled Pakistan as one of the serious violators of the CAC agenda, pointing to not only the systemic abuse of children within Pakistan's borders but also the consequences of its military operations in Afghanistan's border regions, where children have been harmed due to cross-border shelling and air strikes by Pakistani forces.
He cited the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 Indian tourists lost their lives due to Pakistani or Pakistan-trained terrorists.
"The world has not forgotten the brutal targeted attacks by Pakistani and Pakistan-trained terrorists," the Ambassador remarked, highlighting the Security Council's April 25 press statement that emphasized the need to hold accountable those responsible for these heinous acts.
Reiterating India's zero-tolerance policy against terrorism, Ambassador Harish pointed to the May 7 retaliatory strikes under Operation Sindoor.
"India conducted non-escalatory, proportionate, and focused attacks targeting nine terrorist infrastructure sites," he explained, adding that those killed in the strikes were given state funerals in Pakistan, showcasing the state's ongoing support for terrorism.
He also referred to the Secretary-General's recent CAC report, which detailed severe violations against children in Pakistan, including attacks on girls' schools and health workers.
"The Secretary-General has conveyed concern over the increase in such severe violations reported, including assaults on schools, particularly girls' schools, and against health workers, as well as incidents in the border territories with Afghanistan, where numerous Afghan children were killed or injured due to cross-border shelling and air strikes by Pakistani armed forces," noted Harish.
He further condemned the Pakistani army's shelling of Indian border villages in May 2025, leading to civilian casualties.
"To preach at this forum following such behavior is grossly hypocritical," he asserted.
In concluding his remarks, the Indian envoy reaffirmed India's steadfast position on Jammu and Kashmir, stating, "The entire union territory of Jammu and Kashmir has been, is, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India, regardless of the constant stream of lies and falsehoods from Pakistan."