India Condemns Pakistan Strikes in Afghanistan at UN, Calls Attacks a Breach of International Law

India on Thursday strongly condemned Pakistan’s recent strikes in Afghanistan during a United Nations Security Council session, terming the attacks, which claimed the lives of women, children, and even local cricketers, as a grave violation of international law and a threat to regional stability.

The attacks come amid renewed clashes between Taliban and Pakistani forces, less than two months after both sides agreed to a ceasefire aimed at halting weeks of border fighting. Both sides have accused each other of breaking the fragile truce.

India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Parvathaneni Harish, expressed New Delhi’s “grave concern” over Pakistan’s trade and transit terrorism, highlighting Islamabad’s repeated closures of border access for landlocked Afghanistan.

“We add our voice to calls for paying full respect to the United Nations Charter and international law, with particular attention to the protection of innocent civilians,” Harish said.

He further condemned Pakistan’s closure of access for a landlocked country, saying it violates WTO norms and constitutes acts of war against a fragile nation striving to rebuild in difficult circumstances, calling it a blatant breach of the UN Charter and international law.

“While we condemn such acts, we also strongly support the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Afghanistan,” he added.

The border conflict first erupted in early October after a Pakistani airstrike on Kabul, prompting retaliatory action by Afghanistan. The clashes escalated during a visit by Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to India and have been described as the worst since the Taliban regained power in 2021.

After weeks of hostilities, both sides agreed to a ceasefire on October 19, following talks brokered by Qatar and Turkey. A spokesperson for the Taliban regime alleged that Pakistan initiated the latest attacks, forcing Kabul to respond.

Harish said India is closely monitoring the security situation and urged coordinated international action to prevent UN-designated terror groups, including ISIL, Al Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and proxy groups like The Resistance Front, from operating across borders.

He also called for pragmatic engagement with the Taliban, stating that purely punitive measures have failed. “A coherent policy of engagement should incentivise positive actions,” Harish said, urging the UN and international community to adopt nuanced policies that deliver sustainable benefits for the people of Afghanistan.

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