India strongly criticised Pakistan at the United Nations, accusing its army of committing systematic sexual violence since 1971 and continuing to target women from minority communities with impunity.
Delivering India’s statement at the UN Security Council’s Open Debate on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence, India’s Charge d’Affaires Eldos Mathew Punnoos said the atrocities committed during the 1971 war in erstwhile East Pakistan remain a “shameful record,” and that the pattern of abuse persists today.
“The utter impunity with which the Pakistan army perpetrated heinous crimes of gross sexual violence against hundreds of thousands of women in 1971 is a matter of shameful record. This deplorable pattern continues unabated to this day,” Punnoos said.
He accused Pakistan of using abduction, trafficking, forced marriages, domestic servitude, and religious conversions as weapons against minorities, adding that even its judiciary “validates these vile acts.”
Calling for strict accountability, he stressed that perpetrators of such crimes must face justice. “Sexual violence in conflict zones not only destroys lives but also tears apart the very fabric of societies, leaving lasting scars for generations,” he said.
Punnoos also highlighted India’s own efforts to address sexual violence, both domestically and through UN initiatives. He cited India’s early contributions to the Secretary-General’s Trust Fund for victims of sexual exploitation, deployment of all-women police units in peacekeeping missions, and training programmes for gender-sensitive operations.
He further outlined India’s domestic measures, including the USD 1.2 billion Nirbhaya Fund, a pan-India emergency helpline (112), Sakhi One Stop Centres for victims, and fast-track courts for quicker justice.
“India remains unwavering in its commitment to root out sexual violence in armed conflict and to support survivors through a comprehensive, survivor-centric approach,” Punnoos concluded.
