India Attacks Pakistan at UNSC Over Terrorism, Civilian Killings in Afghanistan

India has accused Pakistan of carrying out genocidal violence against civilians in Afghanistan, highlighting a deadly airstrike on Kabul’s Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital and broader cross border attacks. Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni raised these concerns at the United Nations Security Council’s Annual Open Debate on the “Protection of civilians in armed conflict”.

Detailing the Kabul incident, Parvathaneni said Pakistan bombed the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital during Ramadan in March 2026. The Indian envoy said this strike killed 269 civilians and injured 122 more. The facility treated vulnerable patients and, according to India, did not qualify as a military objective under international humanitarian law.

Pakistan, UNAMA reports and protection of civilians

Parvathaneni cited figures from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, or UNAMA, to support India’s claims. He said UNAMA recorded 750 civilian deaths and injuries in Afghanistan in the first quarter of 2026. These casualties, according to the mission, resulted from cross border armed violence carried out by Pakistani military forces, mostly through airstrikes.

The envoy stressed that UNAMA’s findings largely blamed Pakistani personnel for these incidents. "The UNAMA documentation attributed 94 of 95 incidents of civilian causalities to Pakistani Security forces." India argued that these findings showed a consistent pattern of attacks against non-combatants, in violation of basic norms of war and humanitarian safeguards.

India’s charge of hypocrisy and protection of civilians

India sharply criticised Pakistan for commenting on internal Indian matters while facing allegations of mass abuses abroad. "It is ironic that Pakistan, with its long-tainted record of genocidal acts, has chosen to refer to issues that are strictly internal to India." Parvathaneni said this record undermined Pakistan’s credibility when speaking on human rights or humanitarian issues.

Describing the Kabul hospital strike, Parvathaneni used strong language to condemn the attack. "The world has not forgotten that it was during the holy month of Ramadan in March this year, at a time of peace, reflection, and mercy, that Pakistan conducted a barbaric airstrike on the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul. Again, according to UNAMA, this cowardly and unconscionable act of violence claimed the lives of 269 civilians and injured a further 122 in a facility which can by no means be justified as a military target," he said.

Displacement, terrorism and protection of civilians

India also linked the air campaign to large scale displacement inside Afghanistan. "As per UNAMA, over 94,000 people were assessed as displaced due to cross border armed violence perpetrated against Afghan civilians. But, such heinous acts of aggression by Pakistan should not come as a surprise from a country that bombs its own people and conducts systematic genocide," he said.

The Indian representative connected these allegations to a wider pattern of cross-border terrorism. India argued that nations supporting or enabling terrorism must be held responsible. New Delhi’s position at the Security Council was that safe havens, financial backing and operational support for terrorist groups deepen civilian suffering and must face consistent international scrutiny.

Historical record, UN calls and protection of civilians

Parvathaneni referred to the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War to argue that Pakistan’s conduct had a long history. "During Operation Searchlight in 1971, Pakistan sanctioned the systematic campaign of genocidal mass rape of 400,000 women citizens by its own army. Such inhuman conduct reflects Pakistan's repeated attempts over decades to externalize internal failures through increasingly desperate acts of violence both within and beyond its borders. With no faith, no law, and no morality the world can see through Pakistan's propaganda," he said.

The envoy said Pakistan had disregarded appeals from the United Nations to protect civilians in Afghanistan. "It is hypocritical to espouse high principles of international law while targeting innocent civilians in the dark. The air strikes by Pakistan occurred at the conclusion of tarawih evening prayers, when numerous patients were leaving the masjid, as per UNAMA," he said.

Parvathaneni also recalled the position of the UN leadership regarding vulnerable Afghans. "It bears emphasis that the UN Secretary General called on member states to uphold their international obligations in relation to protection of civilians, including the principle of non-refoulement in the context of Afghanistan. Clearly, Pakistan has chosen to ignore this call completely," he added.

Global concerns and India’s stance on protection of civilians

Beyond Afghanistan, India voiced concern about attacks on civilians, hospitals, schools and humanitarian staff in many conflict zones. New Delhi urged that medical centres must never be treated as military targets. India also highlighted the need to manage emerging technologies in warfare responsibly so that new tools do not deepen risks for non-combatants.

Parvathaneni said India expected the Security Council to keep civilians at the heart of its work. "In conclusion, India reiterates that the protection of civilians must remain at the center of the Security Council's efforts to maintain international peace and security. The international community must collectively work to restore and ensure respect for international humanitarian law, strengthen accountability, ensure humanitarian access, protect medical care, responsibly govern emerging technologies and thereby alleviate the suffering of civilians affected by armed conflict," he said.

The envoy repeated that the same approach should guide the wider UN system. The Indian envoy, during his concluding remarks, also added that the protection of civilians must remain central to the UNSC's efforts to maintain international peace and security. India’s intervention sought clear accountability for civilian harm and consistent respect for humanitarian law across all conflicts.

With inputs from ANI