India has strongly condemned Pakistan for its remarks regarding Kashmir during a recent United Nations Security Council (UNSC) debate on Women, Peace and Security. India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, accused Pakistan of committing historical atrocities, including bombing its own citizens and perpetrating mass rape during the 1971 military operation known as Operation Searchlight.

During the debate, Harish responded to Pakistan's Counsellor Saima Saleem, who highlighted the suffering of Kashmiri women. Harish stated, "Every year, we are unfortunately fated to listen to the delusional tirade of Pakistan against my country, especially on Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian territory they covet." He emphasized that Pakistan's military had sanctioned a systematic campaign of genocidal mass rape, affecting over 400,000 women during the 1971 crackdown.

Harish further criticized Pakistan for using the UNSC platform to spread propaganda, asserting, "A country that bombs its own people and conducts systematic genocide can only attempt to distract the world with misdirection and hyperbole." He reaffirmed India's commitment to the Women, Peace and Security agenda, highlighting its pioneering role in UN peacekeeping missions, including the deployment of women medical officers in the 1960s.

The debate marked the 25th anniversary of UN Resolution 1325, which focuses on the unique impact of armed conflict on women and girls. Harish's remarks come in the wake of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's earlier comments at the UN General Assembly, where he criticized nations that support terrorism.

Pakistan's representative, Saleem, had argued that excluding Kashmiri women from the UNSC agenda undermines its credibility, stating, "To exclude Kashmiri women from the Women, Peace and Security agenda erases its legitimacy and undermines its universality." The ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan over Kashmir continue to be a focal point in international discussions.