India envoy slams Pakistan over strikes on civilians in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
By Anjali Sharma
UNITED NATIONS – India on Wednesday slammed Pakistan over its airstrikes on civilians in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, accused Islamabad of “bombing its own civilians, exporting terrorism, and harboring UN-proscribed terrorists.”
Media reported that at least 30 people, including children, were killed after Pakistani jets bombed a village in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday.
Indian Counselor at the Permanent Mission in Geneva, Kshitij Tyagi, spoke at the 60th Session of the UN Human Rights Council said that Pakistan should “focus on rescuing an economy on life support, a polity muzzled by military dominance, and a human rights record stained by persecution.”
He said that the Pakistani delegation continued to misuse this forum with baseless and provocative statements against India.
“Instead of coveting our territory, they would do well to vacate the Indian territory under their illegal occupation and focus on rescuing an economy on life support, a polity muzzled by military dominance, and a human rights record stained by persecution, perhaps once they find time away from exporting terrorism, harbouring UN-proscribed terrorists, and bombing their own people,” he said.
The Pakistani government has not issued any statement regarding the bombing, which sparked huge protests by locals in the area.
Tyagi also reaffirmed India’s stand, calling for the UNHRC to adopt a universal, objective, and non-selective approach. “Our collective efforts should foster unity and constructive engagement, not division,” he said.
“We are concerned by the continued proliferation of country-specific mandates. Far from advancing the Council’s core mandate, they reinforce perceptions of bias and selectivity. Focusing narrowly on the human rights situation in a few countries distracts us from the urgent and shared challenges the world faces,” he said.
“At a time when the world is struggling with multiple crises, the Council’s work should be channeled into forging consensus through a non-politicized and forward-looking approach,” he added.
