India Blasts Pakistan at UNSC Over Civilian Killings in Afghanistan, Cites UN Reports on Airstrikes
India launched a sharp attack on Pakistan at the United Nations Security Council, accusing Islamabad of carrying out cross-border violence in Afghanistan that allegedly resulted in hundreds of civilian deaths and injuries earlier this year.
Speaking during the Annual UNSC Open Debate on the “Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict,” India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Harish Parvathaneni, strongly criticised Pakistan’s conduct and questioned its credibility on humanitarian issues.
In a strongly worded statement before the Security Council, the Indian envoy said it was “ironic” that Pakistan was attempting to raise matters related to India while, according to him, its own actions had caused significant civilian suffering across the border in Afghanistan.
Parvathaneni referred to findings documented by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, claiming that hundreds of Afghan civilians had either been killed or injured in incidents linked to cross-border military operations allegedly carried out by Pakistani forces.
According to the Indian envoy, UNAMA recorded around 750 civilian deaths and injuries in Afghanistan during the first three months of 2026 as a result of cross-border armed violence.
He said most of these incidents were linked to airstrikes allegedly conducted by Pakistani military forces.
“The world cannot ignore these figures,” Parvathaneni said during the debate, adding that the UN documentation itself reportedly attributed 94 out of 95 civilian casualty incidents to Pakistani security forces.
India also referred to a controversial airstrike that allegedly targeted the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul earlier this year.
Parvathaneni described the strike as “barbaric” and claimed it took place during the holy month of Ramadan, a period associated with peace, prayer and reflection in the Muslim world.
According to the Indian representative, the attack killed 269 civilians and injured another 122 people.
He stressed that the hospital was a civilian medical facility and “could by no means be justified as a military target.”
The Indian envoy further claimed that the strike occurred shortly after evening tarawih prayers, when patients and civilians were leaving the mosque attached to the facility.
Referring again to UNAMA’s findings, he described the attack as “cowardly” and “unconscionable.”
Parvathaneni accused Pakistan of ignoring repeated international calls for the protection of civilians in conflict zones.
He argued that Islamabad’s statements on international law and humanitarian protection lacked credibility in light of the allegations being raised against it.
“It is hypocritical to speak about international law while innocent civilians are being targeted in darkness,” the Indian envoy remarked during his address to the Security Council.
India’s remarks reflected the increasingly tense relationship between New Delhi and Islamabad, with both countries continuing to exchange accusations on issues related to terrorism, border security and regional stability.
The latest diplomatic confrontation also highlights the growing international attention on the security situation in Afghanistan, particularly along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, where military tensions and militant activity have intensified in recent months.
Pakistan has repeatedly stated that it faces serious security threats from militant groups operating from Afghan territory, especially factions linked to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan.
Islamabad has argued that cross-border operations are aimed at protecting its national security and preventing attacks inside Pakistan.
Afghanistan’s Taliban-led administration, however, has consistently denied allowing its territory to be used against neighbouring countries.
Relations between Kabul and Islamabad have remained strained due to border clashes, accusations of harbouring militants and disputes over security operations.
India’s statement at the UNSC also fits into a broader diplomatic pattern in which New Delhi has sought to portray Pakistan as a state that supports or enables violence in the region.
Indian officials have repeatedly accused Pakistan of sponsoring cross-border terrorism, a charge Islamabad denies.
The exchange at the United Nations came during a debate specifically focused on protecting civilians in war zones and conflict-affected areas.
Several countries participating in the session raised concerns over the increasing number of civilian casualties globally, especially in regions affected by airstrikes, insurgencies and cross-border military operations.
India used the platform not only to condemn civilian harm but also to directly challenge Pakistan’s international narrative.
Parvathaneni stated that Pakistan’s alleged actions should not come as a surprise because, according to him, the country has a history of carrying out violence against civilians.
He went on to say that Pakistan “bombs its own people” and engages in what he described as “systematic genocide,” one of the strongest remarks made by India against Pakistan at an international forum in recent months.
So far, Pakistan has not officially responded in detail to the latest remarks made by India at the UNSC.
However, Islamabad has historically rejected similar accusations and often counters by raising concerns over human rights issues in India, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir.
Diplomatic observers believe the sharp exchange reflects the deep mistrust between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, whose relations remain largely frozen despite periodic international calls for dialogue.
The debate also underscores how regional conflicts are increasingly being discussed at global platforms such as the UN Security Council, where competing narratives, human rights concerns and geopolitical rivalries often intersect.
As tensions continue to simmer across South Asia and Afghanistan remains politically fragile, international attention is likely to remain focused on the conduct of military operations in the region and their humanitarian consequences for civilians caught in the middle of the conflict.
