On 7th October, 2025, in a major diplomatic confrontation at the United Nations, India sharply countered recent Pakistani allegations related to Kashmir by accusing Pakistan of “systematic genocide” and historical atrocities, including the mass rape of women during the 1971 conflict. The exchange took place during the UN Security Council’s Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security.
Speaking on behalf of India, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish said that a country which “bombs its own people, conducts systematic genocide” lacks moral standing to lecture others about human rights. He invoked Operation Searchlight of 1971, alleging that the Pakistani Army sanctioned a “systematic campaign of genocidal mass rape of 400,000 women citizens.” According to India, Pakistan’s present-day pronouncements on Kashmir amount to misdirection and hyperbole meant to divert attention from its own record.
India’s rejoinder was prompted by remarks made earlier by Pakistan’s representative, who had accused India of sexual violence in Kashmir, claiming that women in the region have “endured sexual violence deployed as a weapon of war” for decades. The Indian envoy challenged Pakistan to furnish independent, verifiable evidence instead of relying on rhetorical charges.
Historical Context: 1971 and its Legacy
Operation Searchlight was a military operation launched by Pakistan in March 1971 in, then, East Pakistan (today’s Bangladesh) to suppress calls for autonomy. The ensuing crackdown triggered widespread killings, displacement, and reports of sexual violence, contributing to the Bangladesh Liberation War. Many historical accounts and human rights analyses estimate that hundreds of thousands of civilians were killed; the precise numbers remain debated among scholars.
The Hamoodur Rahman Commission, established by Pakistan after the war, examined the military and political failures, but its public disclosures have long been subject to criticism for lack of full transparency. The war ended with Pakistan’s surrender in December 1971, leading to the creation of Bangladesh.
India often cites these events when pointing to Pakistan’s historical human rights record.
At this stage, publicly available reports do not indicate a specific rejoinder from Pakistan to India’s most recent assertions during the UNSC debate. Pakistan’s representative had earlier raised Kashmir and allegations of violence in that region, but these remarks were sharply countered by India.
Pakistani authorities often frame criticisms from India as attempts to deflect from India’s domestic or regional policies, but on this occasion, there is no detailed recorded reaction in major press sources responding directly to India’s charges of genocide and mass rape.
This confrontation illustrates how both countries leverage historical narratives in diplomatic forums to bolster their position on the Kashmir issue and on human rights. By invoking 1971, India seeks to shift the narrative from contemporary accusations to an earlier record of culpability by Pakistan.
For India, this allows it to question Pakistan’s credibility on rights discourse and suggests that Pakistan’s criticism of India’s actions in Kashmir lacks moral parity. For Pakistan, the challenge is to navigate such an exchange without appearing to concede historical responsibility or weaken its own narrative regarding Kashmir.
In future diplomatic engagements, both sides may need to back rhetorical claims with independent data, reports from credible observers, or judicial findings. Unless that happens, debates at international platforms are likely to remain dominated by accusations and counter-accusations centered on history and selective interpretation.
(Eth/MY/NS)
Suggested Reading:
