AI Generated Summary
- The remarks came in response to Pakistan’s Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, who had raised Operation Sindoor, the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, and the Indus Waters Treaty while alleging that Pakistan’s response to Indian actions had demonstrated that coercion could not be accepted as a “new normal.
- In a pointed conclusion, Harish suggested that Pakistan should focus inward if it wishes to discuss the rule of law, noting recent constitutional changes in the country that grant lifetime immunity to its military chief.
- It is not normal to tolerate Pakistan’s continued use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy,” Harish told the Council, adding that India would take all necessary steps to protect its citizens.
India mounted a blistering counterattack against Pakistan at the United Nations Security Council on Monday, accusing Islamabad of attempting to legitimise terrorism while presenting a distorted narrative of India’s counter-terror operation, Operation Sindoor.
Speaking during an open debate on strengthening international rule of law, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, rejected Pakistan’s claims and said it was dangerous and unacceptable to suggest that terrorism could ever become “normal.”
“Terrorism can never be normalised. It is not normal to tolerate Pakistan’s continued use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy,” Harish told the Council, adding that India would take all necessary steps to protect its citizens.
The remarks came in response to Pakistan’s Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, who had raised Operation Sindoor, the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, and the Indus Waters Treaty while alleging that Pakistan’s response to Indian actions had demonstrated that coercion could not be accepted as a “new normal.”
Harish said Pakistan, despite being an elected member of the Council, had a single overriding objective: to undermine India and harm its people. He warned that the Security Council should not become a platform for attempts to justify or sanitise terrorism.
Operation Sindoor was launched by India in May 2025 after a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in April killed 26 civilians. India has stated that the operation targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
“The facts are straightforward,” Harish said. “Pakistan-sponsored terrorists carried out a brutal attack on civilians. This very Council called for accountability. India acted in accordance with that call.”
He stressed that India’s actions were carefully calibrated, limited in scope, and focused on dismantling terrorist networks rather than escalating tensions. According to Harish, Pakistan had continued issuing threats of further attacks until May 9, after which its military contacted Indian counterparts seeking a halt in hostilities.
Harish also dismissed Pakistan’s references to Jammu and Kashmir, asserting that the region is an integral part of India and not subject to external commentary.
Turning to the Indus Waters Treaty, he said India had upheld the agreement in good faith for over six decades, even as Pakistan waged wars and supported repeated terror attacks on Indian soil. Following the Pahalgam attack, India announced that the treaty would be placed in abeyance until Pakistan demonstrates a credible and irreversible end to its support for terrorism.
In a pointed conclusion, Harish suggested that Pakistan should focus inward if it wishes to discuss the rule of law, noting recent constitutional changes in the country that grant lifetime immunity to its military chief.
India’s forceful intervention underscored New Delhi’s position that peace and dialogue cannot coexist with cross-border terrorism, and that accountability—not denial or deflection—is essential for regional stability.
