'Sanctioned 400,000 rapes': India slams Pakistan's Kashmir rant at UN
What's the story
India has slammed Pakistan for its "delusional tirades" on Jammu and Kashmir during a United Nations Security Council debate on women and security. India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Parvathaneni Harish, reminded the world of Pakistan's history of human rights abuses, including the alleged genocidal mass rape of 400,000 women during Operation Searchlight in 1971. The operation was conducted by Pakistan's military regime in then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) to suppress Bengali nationalism.
Diplomatic discourse
Harish's response to Pakistan's Kashmir claim
"This is a country that conducted Operation Searchlight in 1971 and sanctioned a systematic campaign of genocidal mass rape of 400,000 women citizens by its own army. The world sees through Pakistan's propaganda," he said. Harish's remarks were a direct response to Pakistan's representative Saima Saleem, who raised the issue of Kashmir. The Indian envoy also referred to a recent incident in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where over 30 people were killed in an airstrike by the Pakistani air force.
Historical atrocities
Operation Searchlight and its implications
Operation Searchlight, carried out in March 1971, was a brutal crackdown on Bengalis by the Pakistani army. The operation saw mass killings and sexual violence on a staggering scale. Historians estimate that between 300,000 to three million people were killed during this time. Harish's remarks at the UN sought to expose Pakistan's strategy of using "hyperbole and misdirection" to divert attention from its own brutal history.
Global responsibility
India's commitment to women's rights
The debate at the UN also marked 25 years of Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. Harish's remarks highlighted India's commitment to protecting women's rights during conflicts and ensuring their participation in peace processes. He said, "Our record is unblemished," positioning India as a responsible global actor in advancing women's security and empowerment. This stands in stark contrast to Pakistan's history of invoking Kashmir to deflect scrutiny from its internal repression and sponsorship of terrorism.
Recent statements
Jaishankar's remarks on terrorism at UNGA
Earlier, at the UN General Assembly, India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had also slammed countries that "openly declare terrorism as state policy." He said, "For decades now, major international terrorist attacks are traced back to that one country," referring to Pakistan without naming it. "The most recent example of cross-border barbarism was the murder of [26] innocent tourists in Pahalgam in April this year," Jaishankar said.