India has categorically stated that terrorists based out of Pakistan cannot use false pretenses of being civilians to escape counter-terror operations.
"Let us be clear: Protection of civilians should not be an argument for protection of UN-designated terrorists," stated P. Harish, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, at a meeting of the UN Security Council on Friday.
He accused Pakistan of repeatedly abusing civilian identities to advance its terrorist goals.
During the Security Council discussion targeted at emerging threats to civilian security, Ambassador Harish squarely dismissed Islamabad's denial that civilians had been victimized during Operation Sindoor. He reiterated the tight coordination between terrorist networks and the Pakistani state machinery, including its military and government.
A country which does not distinguish between terrorists and civilians does not have credentials to talk about safeguarding civilians," Harish said.
He referred to the attendance of top Pakistani authorities—senior police and military officers—at funerals of terrorists eliminated in Operation Sindoor. Those received accolades included figures such as Hafiz Abdur Rauf, a top Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) leader who was sanctioned by the United States.
The Pakistani military retaliated against the counter-terror operations by opening up artillery on Indian border villages, killing more than 20 innocent civilians, according to Harish.
He continued to decry Pakistan for targeting religious and civilian infrastructure. "There was deliberate targeting of places of worship, including gurudwaras, temples, and convents, and medical facilities," he observed.
"To sermonize to this body following such conduct is preposterously hypocritical," the envoy said.
Harish called attention to the serious fact of civilians—women and children in particular—being utilized as human shields in combat and terror operations. He called on the international community to drive home effective implementation of current UN Security Council resolutions.
India emphasized that purposeful attacks against non-combatants and humanitarian personnel amount to serious violations of international law, particularly International Humanitarian Law.
New Delhi urged that the set legal norms for protecting civilians be respected. "Respect for UN Charter principles, including sovereignty and territorial integrity of Member States, should continue to be the foundation for all Council actions taken for protection of civilians," concluded Harish.
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