India delivered a sharp rebuke to Pakistan at the United Nations Security Council, accusing Islamabad of weaponizing Afghanistan’s vulnerabilities and conducting deadly military operations that have devastated civilian populations.
Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, representing India, described Pakistan’s refusal to grant transit access to Afghan merchants as “unprecedented trade and transit terrorism.”
He explained that this blockade was a deliberate violation of UN declarations on Landlocked Developing Countries and a cynical exploitation of Afghanistan’s landlocked status. To counter this, India has been issuing hundreds of gratis long-term business visas to Afghan traders, thereby supporting their livelihoods and ensuring continuity of commerce.
The envoy stressed that Pakistan’s actions amounted to a blatant breach of WTO norms, the UN Charter, and international law. He urged the global community to denounce these violations and recognise them as deliberate attempts to destabilise Afghanistan’s economy and society.
Harish then turned his focus to Pakistan’s military aggression, citing UNAMA reports that documented severe civilian casualties from Pakistani airstrikes. According to the data presented, 372 civilians were killed and 397 injured in these operations.
He condemned the strikes as massacres disguised as military campaigns, asserting that “killing, maiming and orphaning civilians is not counter-terrorism.” He highlighted the hypocrisy of Pakistan claiming adherence to international law and Islamic solidarity while mercilessly bombing Afghan civilians during Ramadan.
Ambassador Harish also criticised Pakistan’s pattern of blaming neighbours for its own failures and spreading officially sponsored disinformation. He referred to Pakistan’s designation of certain groups as “Fitna al Hindustan” as part of this propaganda effort.
Reaffirming India’s position, he declared that New Delhi rejects terrorism in all its forms and called for unified global action against groups such as Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, The Resistance Front, ISIL, Al Qaida, and their affiliates.
In contrast to Pakistan’s destructive approach, Harish underscored India’s extensive humanitarian and developmental assistance to Afghanistan. This includes the delivery of over 50,000 tonnes of wheat, 420 tons of medicines and vaccines, and emergency relief operations following earthquakes.
India has also funded medical treatment for Afghan children with congenital heart diseases, upgraded healthcare infrastructure, and provided nearly 3,000 academic scholarships since 2023, of which 1,000 were awarded to women.
Plans are underway to expand scholarships and financial aid for women-led self-help groups, further strengthening Afghanistan’s social fabric.
The ambassador drew attention to the cultural and social bonds between India and Afghanistan, noting the joy Afghan cricketers bring by participating in the Indian Premier League.
He also highlighted India’s initiative to host a bilateral cricket series, emphasising the therapeutic and unifying power of sport.
Concluding his remarks, Harish stated that sports have the rare ability to lift a nation’s spirit, and India firmly believes that Afghan brothers and sisters deserve this opportunity to heal and thrive.
ANI
