Pakistan, India exchange sharp words at UN Security Council over Afghanistan

WASHINGTON: Pakistan and India exchanged strong words at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Monday during a heated debate on Afghanistan, with Islamabad defending its counter-terrorism actions while New Delhi criticised Pakistan’s cross-border airstrikes in Afghanistan.

Naseer Ahmad Faiq, who serves as Chargé d’affaires ad interim of Afghanistan’s Permanent Mission to the UN, spoke at the debate. Afghanistan’s de facto Taliban authorities are not represented at the UN and do not recognise Faiq.

In his statement, Faiq highlighted civilian casualties in the Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict and stressed the need to fight terrorism. However, he did not mention Al Qaeda, the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), or other groups.

During the session, India’s Permanent Representative Parvathaneni Harish said his country “reiterates UNSG’s deep concern at civilian casualties caused by cross-border violence and strongly condemns airstrikes which are flagrant violations of international law, UN Charter and state sovereignty”.

India also expressed “grave concern on ‘trade and transit terrorism’” and said “these vulnerabilities of Land-Locked Developing Countries should not be weaponised”.

Responding, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, said he was compelled to take the floor again after listening to remarks from Afghanistan and India.

Ambassador Ahmad said that given “India’s animosity towards Pakistan and the sole objective of its Afghan policy being to destabilise Pakistan, including by actively supporting and sponsoring terrorist groups, operating from Afghan soil, such as TTP and BLA”, the remarks of the Indian representative came as no surprise.

He noted India’s representative spoke at length about the security situation in Afghanistan, mentioning civilian casualties and border clashes, but “had not a word about the terrorist threat emanating from Afghanistan, which has targeted Pakistan and which many Council members have highlighted in their statements”.

“But there is a reason for that. It is India’s complicity in all of this,” he said, adding that Pakistan had provided “irrefutable evidence of India’s collusion with terrorist groups that are engaged in orchestrating violent attacks against Pakistan”.

“One can sense India’s pain in seeing its heavy investment in the Afghan terrorist franchise going to waste as a result of Pakistan’s precise and effective action against terrorist camps and support bases inside Afghanistan,” Ambassador Ahmad remarked.

He described India as “a serial violator of international law”, accusing it of illegally occupying territory, violating the UN Charter and UNSC resolutions, perpetrating state terrorism in India-occupied Kashmir and beyond, systematically marginalising minorities, spreading hate, “even weaponises water with the express goal of starving Pakistan’s population”, and using disinformation as a state policy.

“And the list goes on,” the envoy added.

Responding to Faiq, Ambassador Ahmad said, “The so-called representative of Afghanistan, who in fact does not represent anyone but himself, must not abuse this forum to pursue his personal agenda.”

Describing Faiq as “sequestered in New York”, Ahmad said the former was “completely cut off from ground realities” and had “chosen to selectively comment on some aspects of the situation, particularly with reference to Pakistan”.

“Therefore, the value and credibility of his remarks are in serious doubt,” the Pakistani envoy said.

Ambassador Ahmad stated that Pakistan’s “legitimate counter-terrorism operations are not directed against the brotherly people of Afghanistan, and are only meant to neutralise the persistent threat of terrorism emanating from Afghan soil”.

He added Pakistan’s actions were “in full conformity with the right to self-defence and international humanitarian law”.

Ahmad said Faiq had “nothing to say about cross-border terrorism from Afghanistan that is so heavily impacting Pakistan in terms of casualties among civilians, among our armed forces, law enforcement agencies and infrastructure”.

In his concluding remarks, Ambassador Ahmad said that while India had “always played the role of a spoiler in Afghanistan,” Pakistan had “engaged responsibly in promoting peace, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan.”

He added that these goals could only be promoted if “the Taliban regime fulfils its commitments with respect to counter-terrorism, inclusive governance and upholding the rights of Afghan women and girls.”

He urged India to “cease and desist from its policy of stoking terrorism inside Pakistan from Afghan soil, now together with their newfound friends in the Taliban regime”, and said Pakistan would not allow “their sabotage and subversion from Afghan soil to nourish and harm Pakistan”.