India slams Pakistan at UN Security Council over child rights violations, terrorism

New Delhi, Jun 26: India on Thursday delivered a sharp rebuttal to Pakistan’s remarks at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), accusing Islamabad of exploiting the forum to push a “nefarious agenda” while ignoring its own documented violations of child rights and continued sponsorship of cross-border terrorism.

Speaking during the UNSC’s annual open debate on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC), India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador R. Harish, outlined New Delhi’s efforts to safeguard children in vulnerable situations and promote their holistic development. He emphasised the need for global cooperation on child protection and counter-terrorism, warning that children remain the most susceptible to indoctrination and terrorist recruitment.

Ambassador Harish condemned Pakistan’s attempts to raise the issue of Jammu and Kashmir at the debate, calling it a blatant effort to deflect attention from its own inclusion in the UN Secretary-General’s list of grave violators of child rights. The report cited multiple instances of attacks on schools, including girls’ schools, the killing and maiming of Afghan children due to cross-border shelling, and airstrikes by Pakistani armed forces.

India also highlighted the April 22, 2025, terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 tourists were killed by Pakistan-backed terrorists. Citing the UNSC's press statement of April 25 that called for accountability for the perpetrators, India reminded the Council of its targeted, proportionate response under Operation Sindoor on May 7. The retaliatory strikes neutralised nine terrorist infrastructure sites without escalation. India noted that those killed in the strikes were immediately buried in Pakistan, further exposing Islamabad’s duplicity.

Reaffirming its commitment to child protection, India underlined its national initiatives aimed at raising awareness and enhancing security in conflict-prone regions. New Delhi reiterated that while it continues to uphold international norms, it expects others, particularly those repeatedly named in UN reports for violations, to refrain from political grandstanding. India’s statement concluded with a direct callout of Pakistan’s hypocrisy, stating that those who target children and civilians in conflict cannot claim moral authority in international forums.