Last Updated:
The remarks came just days after a tragic incident in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where at least 24 civilians, including women and children, lost their lives in a blast.
Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif (Image: Andrew Harnik/GETTY IMAGES/AFP)
India has strongly criticised Pakistan at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, accusing Islamabad of hypocrisy for speaking on human rights while ignoring violations on its own soil.
During the 34th Meeting of the 60th Session on Wednesday, Indian diplomat Mohammed Hussain said Pakistan had no moral ground to lecture others. “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,” he stated.
Recommended Stories
The remarks came just days after a tragic incident in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where at least 24 civilians, including women and children, lost their lives in a blast. Officials said explosive materials stored in a Pakistani Taliban compound went off. However, locals alleged that the deaths were the result of air strikes in the Tirah Valley’s Matur Dara area near the Afghan border.
Conflicting reports emerged about the cause of the destruction. Police officer Zafar Khan confirmed that the explosion destroyed five houses and killed ten civilians, along with fourteen militants. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s provincial unit, meanwhile, claimed it was the result of “jet bombing.”
The tragedy triggered protests in the region, with residents accusing the government of failing to protect citizens. Mohammad Iqbal Khan Afridi, a Member of the National Assembly from Khyber, expressed grief in a video message, saying women and children were among those killed in the “shelling by jets.”
The UNHRC session also heard sharp criticism from international researchers and activists over Pakistan’s human rights record. Josh Bowes, a geopolitical researcher, noted that Pakistan ranked 158th in the World Press Freedom Index. He also referred to the USCIRF Religious Freedom report for 2025, which recorded over 700 individuals imprisoned under blasphemy laws — a 300 per cent rise compared to last year.
Bowes further highlighted the crisis in Balochistan and among the Pashtun community. “The Baloch National Movement’s Human Rights Body documented 785 enforced disappearances and 121 killings in the first half of 2025 alone. The Pashtun national jirga said that in 2025, 4,000 Pashtuns are still missing,” he said.
Human rights activist Arif Aajakia echoed these concerns, alleging that people in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have faced years of military crackdowns.
India’s statement, along with voices from global researchers and activists, placed a fresh spotlight on Pakistan’s internal human rights situation, even as Islamabad tried to attack others at the UN forum.
About the Author
Anushka Vats is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for storytelling and a curiosity that extends beyond the newsroom. She covers both national and international news. For more stories, you can follow her…Read More
Anushka Vats is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for storytelling and a curiosity that extends beyond the newsroom. She covers both national and international news. For more stories, you can follow her… Read More
October 02, 2025, 12:46 IST
Loading comments…
Read More
