India and Pakistan Exchange Terrorism Accusations at UN Security Council

During a United Nations Security Council open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict on May 21, 2026, Harish Parvathaneni, India's Permanent Representative to the UN, called for zero tolerance toward civilian casualties. He urged the international community to hold states that sponsor or support terrorism accountable and expressed concern over the use of AI and drones in urban warfare.

Parvathaneni specifically accused Pakistan of conducting a campaign of violence in Afghanistan, citing UNAMA documentation that Pakistani military forces caused 750 civilian deaths and injuries in early 2026. He highlighted a March airstrike on the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul that killed 269 civilians. India further linked these actions to a long-term pattern of violence, referencing the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.

In a right of reply, Pakistani envoy Saima Saleem rejected the allegations as a disinformation campaign, defending military operations in Afghanistan as precise counter-terrorism efforts. Saleem accused India of exporting terrorism through proxies such as the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and the Balochistan Liberation Army. She further criticized India for human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir and for holding the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, claiming such actions threaten regional water and food security.