India rebukes Pakistan at UNSC, says world witnessing suppression of rights in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir
By R Anil Kumar
New York/Bengaluru, July 24, 2026. India strongly criticised Pakistan at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), accusing it of suppressing the fundamental rights of people in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and misusing the global forum to push what it described as a “divisive agenda.”
Delivering India’s statement at the UNSC Open Debate on “Strengthening the Mechanisms for Peaceful Settlement of Disputes”, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, asserted that the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir “has always been, is, and will remain an integral and inalienable part of India.”
He said the only outstanding issue relating to Jammu and Kashmir is the “illegal occupation of India’s sovereign territory by Pakistan.”
Responding to Pakistan’s remarks during the debate, Harish said the Security Council had once again witnessed an attempt by Pakistan to misuse the UN platform.
“The world is witness to the continued suppression of basic rights, freedom of expression and association, and the stifling of fundamental freedoms of Kashmiris in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir,” he said, adding that the situation reflected a pattern that had persisted for nearly eight decades.
The Indian envoy further alleged that the pattern of repression extended beyond PoK to other parts of Pakistan, citing the incarceration of political leaders, including a former prime minister, the alleged electoral exclusion of the main opposition party, and constitutional changes that he said had weakened democratic institutions.
He also expressed disappointment that, while similar developments in other countries receive strong attention from the United Nations, repression in Pakistan does not attract the same level of scrutiny.
Addressing the broader theme of the debate, Harish underlined that disputes should not be conflated with acts of armed aggression or illegal occupation, which directly affect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of member states. He said clarity on this distinction was essential to determine the appropriate application of the UN Charter.
He stressed that efforts to resolve disputes arising from the illegal use of force should be inclusive, pragmatic and rooted in genuine dialogue, while cautioning against framing such issues through the lens of race, religion or ethnicity.
The Indian envoy also called for a comprehensive review of long-standing Security Council mandates, arguing that their continuation should be based on relevance, utility and applicability rather than political considerations. He said outdated mandates should not continue indefinitely without periodic review.
Harish further highlighted the role that established regional and sub-regional organisations can play in resolving disputes, while noting that cross-regional groupings without geographical or functional relevance should not be treated similarly.
Reaffirming India’s commitment to the United Nations Charter and international law, he said India, as a founding member of the UN, remains committed to working with member states to strengthen the multilateral system and advance international peace and security.
Following the debate, Harish shared the key points of India’s intervention in a post on X, reiterating India’s position on Jammu and Kashmir, the need to distinguish disputes from armed aggression, and the importance of reviewing outdated Security Council mandates while strengthening the UN’s role in peaceful dispute resolution.
