India slams Pakistan at UN over Minority Rights, alleges military control of political leadership
Babushahi Bureau
New Delhi, October 25, 2026: India criticised Pakistan at the United Nations over alleged violations of minority rights and accused Islamabad of using international forums to target New Delhi while overlooking its own domestic challenges.
Speaking during an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues at the United Nations General Assembly’s Third Committee, India’s First Secretary to the UN, Raghoo Puri, questioned Pakistan’s record on minority protection and alleged that the country’s military continued to exercise decisive influence over its political leadership.
Referring to the controversy surrounding Pakistan’s 2024 general elections, Puri described the administration as a “Form 47 government” and alleged that the military remained the country’s real power centre.
Form 47 is an official election document in Pakistan that records consolidated results for a constituency. The reference came amid continuing controversy over the conduct and results of the 2024 elections.
Puri also raised concerns over the declining proportion of minorities in Pakistan’s population and urged Islamabad to address issues affecting its own citizens rather than criticise India at international forums.
India Reiterates Position on Jammu and Kashmir
Rejecting Pakistan’s claims concerning Jammu and Kashmir, Puri reiterated India’s position that the region was an integral part of the country. He said the outstanding issue was the vacation of territories under what India describes as Pakistan’s illegal occupation.
Defending India’s record on minority rights, Puri described the country as a multi-religious, multi-ethnic and multilingual society, citing constitutional safeguards and the contributions of minority communities in government, the armed forces, industry and culture.
He also emphasised that the protection of minority rights was primarily the responsibility of individual countries, underscoring the sovereign responsibility of states to safeguard the rights of their citizens.
The remarks came during a UN discussion focused on minority issues, with India challenging Pakistan’s criticism and drawing attention to concerns over political authority and minority protection in the neighbouring country.