At UN, Pakistan says India supporting terror outfits in Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has said that India's support for terrorist groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Balochistan Liberation Army, and Majeed Brigade, has resulted in thousands of deaths among innocent Pakistani civilians. These extremist groups have targeted mosques, schools, markets, and public areas.

In a post on X on Wednesday, the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN wrote that Counselor Saima Saleem, in a response to remarks by India during the Security Council Annual Debate on the Protection of Civilians, said that the terrorist networks against Pakistan were funded and supported from Afghan territory.

The international community, she said, could clearly see “the face behind the mask.” India spreads terrorism abroad, persecutes minorities at home, uses water as a weapon, and breaks international law in the region, she added.

In her response, Saleem firmly rejected India's claims at the Security Council, accusing Delhi of trying to position itself as a victim while hiding a history of terrorism, occupation, and human rights abuses.

Regarding recent counter-terrorism operations, the counselor said that Pakistan's security forces carried out “precise, deliberate, and professional” actions against terrorist hideouts, training camps, and ammo storage sites in Afghanistan. The operations specifically targeted militants and their infrastructure, not Afghan civilians, she said.

The counselor said Pakistan dismisses allegations from the Afghan Taliban administration and India, calling them part of a “disinformation campaign” meant to cover up militant violence against Pakistan. The envoy claimed India was frustrated because its supposed use of militant proxies against Pakistan was being countered through effective measures. 

On the Jammu and Kashmir issue, Saleem reiterated Pakistan's stance that the territory remains an internationally recognized dispute on the UN Security Council's agenda. The representative accused India of suppressing the Kashmiri people through detentions, demolitions, and restrictions on fundamental freedoms. 

According to the X post, Pakistan's counselor highlighted India's treatment of minorities, especially Muslims, saying that Islamophobia and extremist policies have become standard under Hindutva ideology. Sikhs, Christians, and Dalits were also noted as communities facing discrimination, she said. 

The envoy condemned India’s decision regarding the Indus Waters Treaty, saying that any effort to limit water access threatens the livelihoods and food security of millions of Pakistanis. 

In closing, the counselor reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to peace, dialogue, and the peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the UN Charter and Security Council resolutions.