‘No credentials to speak about protecting civilians’: India slams Pakistan’s ‘grossly hypocritical’ remarks at UN | India News

India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish

NEW DELHI: India delivered a sharp rebuke to Pakistan at the UN Security Council, condemning its “grossly hypocritical” stance on protecting civilians.While addressing UN Security Council, India’s permanent representative to the UN, ambassador Parvathaneni Harish challenged Pakistan’s credibility in discussing civilian protection, highlighting recent provocative actions by Pakistani forces. “We just recently saw senior government, police and military officials pay respects at the funeral of noted terrorists targeted by Operation Sindoor. A nation that makes no distinction between terrorists and civilians has no credentials to speak about protecting civilians,” Harish said.He detailed recent attacks by the Pakistani army that resulted in over 20 civilian deaths and 80 injuries, with deliberate targeting of religious institutions including gurudwaras, temples, convents, and medical facilities. “To preach at this body after such behaviour is grossly hypocritical,” Harish stated.India’s representative recalled Pakistan’s involvement in numerous terrorist attacks, including the 26/11 Mumbai attack and the recent killing of tourists in Pahalgam in April 2025. “The victims of Pakistani terrorism have been predominantly civilians, since its objective has been to attack our prosperity, progress and morale,” he noted.India on May 7 launched Operation Sindoor, which targeted nine terror-related sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir. This was in response to Pahalgam terror attack that claimed lives of 26 civilians. Pakistan retaliated with crossborder shelling and attempted drone attacks, prompting India to target key Pakistani military infrastructure, including the Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi and the Rahim Yar Khan airbase. The hostilities ceased on May 10 after both countries reached an understanding.Residents of border areas in Jammu and Kashmir faced severe destruction due to Pakistani shelling during the recent cross-border tensions. These border communities were the immediate victims when hostilities broke out between India and Pakistan, though the situation has now stabilised following a mutual ceasefire agreement. The Pakistani artillery fire inflicted substantial damage in the frontier villages, leaving numerous houses either completely destroyed or severely damaged, rendering them uninhabitable.Harish addressed broader concerns about civilian protection in armed conflicts, highlighting the emerging threats from terrorist entities using new technologies. He stressed that the international community must focus on developing national capabilities to protect civilians while maintaining zero tolerance for terrorism.“Respect for principles of the UN Charter, including sovereignty and territorial integrity of Member States, should remain the basis for all actions taken by the Council for the protection of civilians,” Harish stated, emphasising that politically motivated interventions in armed conflicts could have devastating consequences for civilian populations.Harish called for concrete actions to implement existing Security Council resolutions on civilian protection, emphasising that humanitarian operations must be guided by the core principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence.Residents of border areas in Jammu and Kashmir faced severe destruction due to Pakistani shelling during the recent cross-border tensions. These border communities were the immediate victims when hostilities broke out between India and Pakistan, though the situation has now stabilized following a mutual ceasefire agreement. The Pakistani artillery fire inflicted substantial damage in the frontier villages, leaving numerous houses either completely destroyed or severely damaged, rendering them uninhabitable.