India delivered a strong and scathing rebuttal to Pakistan at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Friday, during an open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict. India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Harish Puri, directly called out Pakistan’s participation in the session as “an affront to the international community”, citing its long record of sponsoring cross-border terrorism and failure to distinguish between civilians and terrorists.
Ambassador Puri condemned what he called Pakistan’s "grossly hypocritical" stance, especially in light of a recent escalation at the India-Pakistan border. He alleged that the Pakistan Army had deliberately shelled Indian border villages earlier in May, resulting in the deaths of over 20 civilians and injuries to more than 80. He further stated that places of worship—gurdwaras, temples, convents—and medical facilities were intentionally targeted.
Puri underscored that for a country with such a record, participating in discussions about civilian protection undermines the moral credibility of the forum. He reminded the UNSC of decades of Pakistani-sponsored terrorism, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks (26/11) and the recent killing of tourists in Pahalgam in April 2025, which he described as a “barbaric mass murder”. He said the primary victims have been civilians, and the intent has always been to “attack our prosperity, progress, and morale.”
He further highlighted Pakistan’s use of civilians as cover for terrorists, pointing to senior Pakistani officials paying respects at funerals of terrorists neutralized during India’s Operation Sindoor. “A nation that honors terrorists and cannot distinguish them from civilians has no credentials to speak about protecting civilians,” he reiterated.
India’s sharp intervention reflects growing frustration with Pakistan’s attempts to raise the Kashmir issue or frame itself as a voice of civilian concern in global forums, even as it allegedly continues to sponsor and shelter terror networks that target civilians.
This confrontation is yet another chapter in the long-standing India-Pakistan diplomatic standoff at international platforms, especially at the UN, where both countries routinely trade charges over terrorism and human rights.
