India slams Pakistan at UN over women’s rights record, recalls 1971 mass rapes during Operation Searchlight

India called Pakistan’s UN remarks “delusional tirades,” citing its own record of abusing women’s rights

October 7, 2025

UN debate sees fiery exchange as India rejects Pakistan’s Kashmir propaganda

India strongly rebuked Pakistan at the United Nations for its appalling record on women’s rights, accusing Islamabad of hypocrisy after it attempted to raise the issue of Kashmiri women at an international forum.

During a UN Security Council debate on women, peace, and security, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Parvathaneni Harish, delivered a sharp response, calling Pakistan’s statements “delusional tirades” and pointing to the country’s own history of systematic atrocities against women.

“Our pioneering record on the women, peace, and security agenda is unblemished and unscathed. A country that bombs its own people and conducts systematic genocide can only attempt to distract the world with misdirection and hyperbole,” Harish said, referring to Pakistan’s recent air strikes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that killed over 30 civilians, including children.

India highlights Operation Searchlight atrocities

Harish invoked Operation Searchlight, Pakistan’s 1971 military crackdown in then-East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), during which the Pakistani army carried out a campaign of mass killings, rape, and torture.

“This is a country that conducted Operation Searchlight in 1971 and sanctioned a systematic campaign of genocidal mass rape of 400,000 women citizens by its own army. The world sees through Pakistan’s propaganda,” he said.

The operation, led by General Tikka Khan — infamously known as the “Butcher of Bengal” — left hundreds of thousands dead and marked one of the darkest chapters in South Asian history. The atrocities ultimately led to Pakistan’s defeat and the creation of Bangladesh.

Pakistan’s claims dismissed as propaganda

The remarks came after Pakistan’s UN representative, Saima Saleem, alleged that women in Kashmir had suffered sexual violence “used as a weapon of war” — claims that India said were baseless and unsubstantiated.

India’s firm rebuttal underscored its growing assertiveness in countering Pakistan’s long-standing attempts to internationalise the Kashmir issue.

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