New Delhi: India strongly rebutted Pakistan’s allegations at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), calling it “deeply ironic” for Islamabad to lecture others on human rights while failing to address its own troubling record of minority persecution and internal abuses.
Speaking at the 34th meeting of the 60th UNHRC session, Indian diplomat Mohammed Hussain said Pakistan should focus on its domestic crises instead of spreading propaganda. “India finds it deeply ironic that a country like Pakistan seeks to lecture others on human rights. Instead of spreading propaganda, Pakistan should confront the persecution of minorities on their own soil,” Hussain stated.
The sharp remarks came days after an airstrike by Islamabad in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province killed at least 23 civilians, including women and children an incident that reinforced New Delhi’s concerns over Pakistan’s internal human rights situation.
Several international experts at the session echoed these concerns. Josh Bowes, a geopolitical researcher, noted Pakistan’s dismal ranking of 158th on the World Press Freedom Index, and cited the USCIRF Religious Freedom Report 2025, which revealed that more than 700 individuals remain imprisoned under blasphemy charges, marking a 300% rise from last year. He also highlighted the worsening plight of Baloch and Pashtun communities, pointing out that the Baloch National Movement documented 785 enforced disappearances and 121 killings in the first half of 2025 alone, while Pashtun leaders reported over 4,000 missing persons this year.
Human rights activist Arif Aajakia further alleged that Pakistan’s Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces continue to face prolonged military operations marked by extrajudicial killings, torture, and enforced disappearances, with families of the missing often staging protests.
India’s intervention underscored its long-standing position that Pakistan must address its internal repression and human rights violations before attempting to criticise others on international platforms.
