New York, May 24 (UNI) India at the UN on Saturday slammed Pakistan over its hypocritical behaviour of sponsoring terrorist attacks in India and killing innocent civilians and, at the same time, speaking about protecting civilians.

India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador P. Harish speaking at the UN Security Council Open Debate on Addressing emerging threats, ensuring the safety of civilians, humanitarian and UN Personnel, journalists and media professionals and enhancing accountability mechanisms” said that for a nation that sponsors terrorism across its borders, to even participate in a discussion on protection of civilians is an affront to international community.

‘’India has experienced decades of Pakistan-sponsored terrorist attacks across our borders... For such a nation to even participate in a discussion on the protection of civilians is an affront to the international community...’’ Ambassador Harish said while speaking under the agenda item “Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict

Demolishing Pakistan’s arguments he said he was constrained to respond to the baseless allegations of the representative of Pakistan on a number of issues.

Referring to the Operation Sindoor launched by India against Pakistan in the wake of the killing of 26 innocent tourists at Pahalgam in Kashmir by Pakistani terrorists, Ambassador Harish said earlier this month the Pakistani army ‘’deliberately shelled our border villages killing more than 20 civilians and injuring more than 80.’’

He said there was intentional targeting of places of worship including gurudwaras, temples and convents, as well as medical facilities.

‘’To preach at this body after such behaviour is grossly hypocritical..." Ambassador Harish said.

Earlier he also lashed out at Pakistan for spreading disinformation about the Indus Water Treaty and said Islamabad had violated the spirit of the Treaty by inflicting three wars and thousands of terror attacks on India that seek to hold hostage the lives of civilians, religious harmony and economic prosperity.

“We are constrained to respond to the disinformation being carried out by the delegation of Pakistan with regard to the Indus Water Treaty. India has always acted in a responsible manner as an upper riparian state,” Ambassador Harish said and added that in the last four decades more than 20,000 Indian lives had been lost in terror attacks, the most recent of which was the dastardly targeted terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam.

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