India hits out at Pakistan at UN for terrorism and child rights violations

India has strongly criticised Pakistan at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), accusing it of grave child rights abuses and continued cross-border terrorism.

Speaking at the 80th UNGA session, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey defended India’s recent counter-terrorism operations under “Operation Sindoor” as a legitimate and necessary step to protect civilians, especially children.

Dubey was part of a parliamentary delegation to the UN led by MP PP Chaudhary. He emphasised that Pakistan remains one of the “most serious violators” of the Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) agenda. Citing the UN Secretary-General’s 2025 report on CAAC, Dubey said Pakistan’s cross-border terrorism, shelling, and airstrikes have resulted in the killing and maiming of Afghan children.

Dubey said that India strongly condemned Pakistan’s attempt to divert the world’s attention from the grave abuses against children within its borders, as evidenced by the Secretary-General’s report on CAC 2025, as well as the ongoing cross-border terrorism.

He noted that numerous Afghan children had been harmed or killed by Pakistan’s cross-border attacks and military airstrikes near the Afghanistan border.

He added that beyond Pakistan’s borders, the same report had detailed attacks by Pakistan on health workers in schools - particularly girls’ schools - and incidents along the Afghanistan border where cross-border shelling and airstrikes by Pakistan had been directly responsible for the killing and maiming of Afghan children.

Referring to the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 civilians were killed, Dubey said that the international community had not forgotten the brutal, targeted attacks carried out by Pakistan-trained terrorists.

Following the Pahalgam attack, India launched “Operation Sindoor” in May 2025. The operation involved surgical strikes on nine terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). Dubey said that during the operation, India conducted “well-thought-out strikes” on nine terror camps, eliminating several terrorists.

He stated that, in a considered and balanced response, India had exercised its legitimate right to defend its people against terrorism and bring its organisers and perpetrators to justice by carrying out surgical strikes on nine terrorist hideouts under Operation Sindoor in May 2025. He added that, in contrast, Pakistan had deliberately targeted India’s border villages, resulting in the deaths of numerous civilians, including children.

Dubey also condemned Pakistan for its actions during the May 2025 military conflict, where the Pakistani army fired at Indian border villages, causing civilian deaths and injuries. Calling Pakistan’s stance “highly hypocritical,” he said that Pakistan must look at itself in the mirror, stop preaching on that platform, act to protect children within its borders, and stop targeting women and children within its borders.

He further highlighted India’s own child protection efforts, expressing gratitude to the UN Special Rapporteur for recognising initiatives such as Child Helpline 1098, which offers emergency assistance to children in distress.

Dubey said that creating an enabling environment for the protection and holistic development of children was a matter of national importance, reaffirming India's commitment to safeguarding child rights and promoting their overall well-being.