Delegates of Pakistan and India engaged in a sharp verbal duel at the UN, after Pakistani Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad denounced the Indian military for targeting civilian areas, including homes and mosques, during its recent aggression against Pakistan.  The exchange took place at the UN Security Council during its debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict. 

 Indian Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish reacted to his Pakistani counterpart’s tough statement, and while repeating New Delhi’s usual allegations, said Pakistan has no justification to talk about civilians when it is using terrorism as a policy.   Pakistani delegate Saima Saleem hit back, accusing the Indian envoy of relying on “disinformation, deflection and denial” as she said India is itself involved in acts of terrorism. 

“No amount of obfuscation can hide the facts, India brazenly kills and maims civilians in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, carried out blatant aggression against Pakistan targeting civilians and sponsors terrorism and assassinations in my country and across the globe,” Ms Saleem, a counsellor at the Pakistan Mission to the UN, told the 15-member Council.   India, she said, had even stooped to a new low of impeding the flow of rivers that serve as a lifeline for the 240 million people of Pakistan. 

Ms Saleem pointed out that Pakistan, together with the international community, had condemned the Pahalgam incident. “If India had nothing to hide, it should have agreed to credible, impartial and independent investigations into the incident,” the Pakistani delegate said.   “On the contrary” she added, “India continues to subject people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir to state-sponsored terrorism to suppress their legitimate freedom struggle.”   

Earlier this month, India also committed blatant aggression against Pakistan, launching unprovoked attacks on innocent civilians, killing 40 including 7 women and 15 children and injuring 121 others, including 10 women and 27 children. “India certainly has no credibility to lecture others on the protection of civilians,” Ms Saleem told delegates.  Pakistan’s counter terrorism efforts and sacrifices, she said, were well-known and acknowledged globally and Islamabad remains steadfast in its commitment to combat this menace.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)