Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar, delivered a forceful address at the UN Security Council, warning that India is unlawfully engineering demographic changes in the occupied territory of Jammu and Kashmir in a blatant violation of international law and UN Security Council resolutions.
Participating in a high-level debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, Ambassador Iftikhar said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir remain under systematic repression and brutality at the hands of occupying Indian forces. “Seventy-five years on, they continue to be denied their inalienable right to self-determination as enshrined in the UN Charter and reaffirmed by the Council’s own resolutions,” he said.
He stressed the urgent need for collective international action to safeguard civilian populations caught in the crossfire of armed conflicts, noting that failure to act risks further erosion of global norms protecting human life and dignity.
Recalling the humanitarian toll of recent escalations between India and Pakistan, Ambassador Iftikhar revealed that 40 Pakistani civilians were killed and over 120 injured as a result of Indian aggression. “Despite this grave provocation, Pakistan exercised maximum restraint and responded by targeting only military sites, demonstrating its unwavering commitment to international law and responsible state conduct,” he added.
Turning to the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, Ambassador Iftikhar condemned the attacks on hospitals and medical facilities, calling on the Security Council to act decisively and urgently. “International humanitarian law must not be optional—it is binding. The protection of humanitarian workers, UN personnel, and innocent civilians is a legal and moral obligation,” he stated.
Ambassador Iftikhar concluded by reaffirming Pakistan’s principled stance in defense of oppressed peoples worldwide and called upon the Security Council to uphold its mandate in preserving international peace, justice, and human dignity.
