India slams Pakistan at UN over Kashmir, calls claims on women’s rights ‘misleading propaganda’

India slams Pakistan at UN over Kashmir: In the United Nations debate on women, peace and security, India criticized Pakistan. India's permanent representative Parvathanani Harish, said that Pakistan spreads confusion about Jammu and Kashmir every year and turn reality into rhetoric.  “Unfortunately, we have to face this delusional rhetoric from Pakistan every year, especially on the Indian territory they want to capture,” Harish said.

He accused Pakistan of violating women's rights. Referring to the 1971 Operation Searchlight, Harish said that during that time the Pakistan Army had committed mass sexual violence against about 4 lakh women and thousands of people were killed. He said, "The world has now recognized the promotion of Pakistan."

Pakistan's response

Pakistan's permanent mission counselor Saim Saleem,said in response that Kashmiri women have been facing sexual violence and harassment under the occupation for decades. He said that incidents like human rights violations, harassment of journalists and human rights activists, arbitrary detention and vengeance are taking place against women. Salim warned that excluding Kashmiri women from 'peace and security' agenda weakens its validity and universality.

What was Operation Searchlight?

Operation Searchlight was a campaign run by Pakistan's army in Bengal in 1971. About 3 lakh people were killed, and 4 lakh women were gang-raped. Due to this massacre, about 1 crore Bengali refugees came to India. The same development proved to be the birth of the 1971 liberation struggle, and East Pakistan separated and became Bangladesh.

The purpose of debate in UNSC

The United Nations Security Council organized the debate on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Resolution 1325. This resolution was adopted in the year 2000 and aims to highlight uneven and specific effects on women and girls during war and struggle.

India also reacted to PM Sharif's speech

In September, India also gave a strong reply to Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif's speech at the UN Mahasabha. Sharif propagated Operation Sindoor and May's alleged "victory" under the border tension of May. Operation Sindoor was an Indian military operation carried out in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack. In the operation, India targeted terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.