UN Security Council Debates Women, Peace and Security as India Responds to Pakistan
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) session on Women, Peace and Security became the latest stage for a long-standing barrage between India and Pakistan. India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, delivered a hard-hitting rebuttal to Pakistan’s remarks on Jammu and Kashmir, terming Islamabad’s remarks a “delusional tirade” and accusing Pakistan of attempting to misdirect global attention from its own human rights record.
India’s sharp rebuke: ‘delusional tirade’ against my country
Addressing the council, Harish asserted that Pakistan repeatedly targets India with unfounded accusations in international forums, particularly over Jammu and Kashmir. “Every year, we are unfortunately fated to listen to the delusional tirade of Pakistan against my country, especially on Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian territory they covet,” he said. The Indian envoy charged Pakistan with violating women’s rights and “hyperbole” that misleads the international community.
Linking past atrocities to present rhetoric
Harish went further to remind the council of Pakistan’s 1971 actions, including Operation Searchlight, which he described as a campaign that involved systematic mass violence against Bengali civilians and widespread sexual violence. “The world sees through Pakistan’s propaganda,” he asserted, noting the historical context that continues to color perceptions of Pakistan’s conduct in the region.
Pakistan’s Counsellor: Kashmiri women in focus
In contrast, Pakistan’s Saima Saleem, speaking as Counsellor at the Pakistani mission, framed the issue as a humanitarian concern. She highlighted alleged abuses against Kashmiri women, arguing that they have suffered for decades under occupation and have seen sexual violence deployed as a weapon of war. Saleem cited UN human rights mechanisms, including OHCHR, and non-governmental organizations to document crimes such as harassment of women activists, reprisals against families of the disappeared, and mass trauma from sexual violence.
Debate within the Women, Peace and Security framework
The exchange occurred during a UNSC debate marking 25 years of Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, which recognizes the disproportionate impact of armed conflict on women and girls. The discussion underscored the ongoing challenge of ensuring that regional conflicts, including the Kashmir dispute, remain central to global accountability and protection measures for women in conflict zones.
Operation Searchlight: a reference point in the dispute
Contextual references to Operation Searchlight were invoked to illustrate how historical grievances feed present-day narratives. The operation, carried out by the Pakistani Army in 1971 to quell the Bengali nationalist movement, resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and the mass rape of Bengali women, events that continue to shape regional memory and political rhetoric. Indian officials argue that such past brutality informs why humanitarian concerns in Kashmir must be scrutinized with caution and factual rigor.
Implications for India-Pakistan diplomacy and regional security
As the UNSC session proceeded, observers noted that sharp exchanges between India and Pakistan often spill into the international arena, complicating attempts at dialogue. The debate also reflects broader tensions around the Women, Peace and Security agenda, which seeks to ensure that women’s rights and safety are prioritized in conflict prevention and resolution efforts. India’s stance emphasizes sovereignty and historical sensitivity, while Pakistan continues to frame the issue as a human rights crisis in Kashmir.
What this means for the UN’s role
With UN mechanisms already monitoring rights concerns in the region, the exchange highlights the UN’s delicate balancing act: acknowledging admitted abuses and trauma while avoiding political instrumentalization of the Women, Peace and Security framework. The council’s own agenda on Kashmir remains a point of contention, illustrating how unresolved territorial disputes can complicate consensus on global human rights protections.
