India exposes Pakistan's ‘mischievous provocations’ at UNSC: 'Forced religious conversions, political propaganda’

India condemned Pakistan’s “mischievous provocation” and “political propaganda” during a Security Council meeting on women, peace, and security. India highlighted the dire condition of women from minority communities, particularly Hindus, Sikhs, and Christians, in Pakistan.

“It is despicable yet entirely predictable that one delegation has chosen to indulge in mischievous provocation based on their tried and tested tactic of spreading misinformation and disinformation,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador P Harish said in the UNSC on Friday, PTI reported.

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Harish delivered India’s statement at the UNSC Open Debate on ‘Women Building Peace in a Changing Environment’.

In a strong Right of Reply to Pakistan, which again raked the issue of Kashmir at the debate, Harish said, “It's completely misplaced to indulge in such political propaganda at this important annual debate.”

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“We are well aware that the condition of women belonging to minority communities, notably Hindus, Sikhs and Christians in that country, remains deplorable,” he said.

Harish added that an estimated thousand women of these minority communities, as per data of Pakistan’s Human Rights Commission, are subject to “abduction, forced religious conversions and forced marriages every year. Anyway, I could go on, but I'll end here.”

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During the debate, India reiterated its strong commitment to the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda. Harish emphasized that achieving sustainable peace necessitates the full, equal, meaningful, and safe participation of women at all levels of decision-making, including politics, governance, institution-building, the rule of law, the security sector, and economic recovery.

He highlighted that the economic and social well-being of the population, especially women, is essential for fostering sustainable peace.

Highlighting the significant strides in implementing the WPS agenda, Harish said that as the fifth-largest troop contributor, India deployed the first-ever all-female Formed Police Unit to Liberia in 2007, setting a precedent in UN peacekeeping. “Their work garnered tremendous appreciation within Liberia and in the UN,” he said.

He underlined that in a rapidly changing world, “we must harness new technologies to enhance women's participation while guarding against online threats and information.

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“We have leveraged digital technologies to minimise gender divide, enhance financial inclusion and empower women, especially in rural India. We call upon the international community to develop robust mechanisms to address these emerging challenges.”

(With inputs from PTI)