India has delivered a powerful and strongly worded statement at the United Nations Security Council, sharply criticising Pakistan for its record of sexual violence and persecution against women and minorities, invoking both historical and ongoing abuses. Speaking at the UNSC Open Debate on Conflict-related Sexual Violence, Indian diplomat Eldos Mathew Punnoose condemned the “mass rapes and gross sexual violence” carried out by the Pakistan Army during the 1971 war in erstwhile East Pakistan, describing the events as a “matter of shameful record.”

Punnoose noted that hundreds of thousands of women were subjected to sexual violence during the conflict, adding that Pakistan’s pattern of impunity and state-sponsored persecution has continued unbroken for decades. He stated that “the utter impunity with which the Pakistan Army perpetrated heinous crimes of sexual violence in East Pakistan remains one of the darkest chapters in modern history.”

Historical context: 1971 atrocities

The Indian statement revisited the horrific events of the Bangladesh Liberation War when Pakistan launched a brutal military crackdown against Bengali civilians. The crackdown led to the mass displacement of civilians, with millions of refugees forced to cross into India, prompting the Indian Armed Forces to intervene. The conflict ended with the surrender of the Pakistan Army on December 16, 1971, and the creation of Bangladesh.

Estimates of the death toll range between 300,000 and 3 million, while tens of thousands of women were sexually assaulted. Punnoose reminded the Council that this history was not merely a relic of the past but part of a continuing pattern of repression in Pakistan.

Continued persecution of minorities

Punnoose underlined the fact that Pakistan still uses sexual violence, forced conversions and abductions as instruments of oppression against religious and ethnic minorities, including Hindus, Christians and the Ahmadiyya community. He cited reports from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and various international agencies which document:

• Forced marriages of minority women

• Abductions and trafficking of girls from minority communities

• Systematic use of sexual violence to silence dissent

• State complicity in shielding perpetrators

Calling the situation “deeply disturbing”, Punnoose urged the international community to recognise Pakistan’s continued human rights violations and hold its leadership accountable for these “ongoing and state-sponsored abuses.”

Broader context of worsening India–Pakistan relations

India’s strong statement comes amid heightened tensions with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, in which 26 Indian civilians lost their lives. India responded with Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terrorist infrastructure across the border. Four days of intense exchange ended only after both sides agreed on a temporary ceasefire.

Adding to tensions, Pakistan's Army Chief General Asim Munir sparked controversy during a recent visit to Washington by making explicit nuclear threats, reportedly stating that any future conflict with India could “take down half the world.” The remarks drew concern in diplomatic circles, even though the U.S. State Department has attempted to strike a neutral tone, claiming that its relationships with both India and Pakistan remain unchanged.

U.S. spokesperson Tammy Bruce said that the United States remains proud of its role in helping secure a post-Operation Sindoor ceasefire through diplomatic engagement, with President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio all involved in defusing the escalation.

India calls for accountability

Punnoose ended India’s statement by urging the international community to act decisively against Pakistan’s continued misuse of state power. He called it “a matter of shame” that those responsible for mass atrocities in 1971 remain unpunished, and that the same abusive practices continue against minorities in 2025.

India reaffirmed its commitment to raising global awareness about conflict-related sexual violence and emphasised the need to protect vulnerable populations, especially women and children, from systematic persecution and state-sponsored violence.

In conclusion, India’s address at the UNSC served not just as a reminder of past atrocities but as a warning about present-day dangers. By linking Pakistan’s 1971 human rights abuses to its contemporary treatment of minorities, New Delhi has signalled that these issues remain at the forefront of its foreign policy agenda and that the international community must hold Islamabad accountable for its actions—past and present.

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