IFS Officer Parvathaneni Harish Rebukes Pakistan at UNSC, Cites 1971 Genocide and Mass Rape of Women
At the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), India delivered a sharp counterattack against Pakistan’s attempt to internationalize the Kashmir issue. In a direct and uncompromising statement, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, invoked the horrors of Operation Searchlight in 1971, highlighting the systematic rape of 400,000 women and atrocities committed by the Pakistani Army in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).
India Counters Pakistan’s Allegations
During a UNSC debate on Women, Peace, and Security, Pakistan’s representative Saima Saleem accused Indian forces of committing sexual violence in Jammu and Kashmir. Responding firmly, Ambassador Harish dismissed the remarks as falsehoods designed to mislead, stressing that Pakistan was attempting to obscure its own dark past.
“Our track record on women’s security and empowerment stands beyond reproach,” Harish declared. “A state that bombs its own civilians and carries out genocide can only rely on distortion and propaganda.”
His words came against the backdrop of a recent Pakistani airstrike in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where dozens of civilians, including children, were reportedly killed.
Invoking Operation Searchlight: Reminder of 1971 Genocide
Ambassador Harish drew the Council’s attention to the brutality of 1971, when General Tikka Khan, infamously called the “Butcher of Bengal”, unleashed Operation Searchlight. The campaign led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Bengalis and the rape of nearly four lakh women, an atrocity that eventually culminated in the Bangladesh Liberation War and Pakistan’s military defeat in Dhaka.
“This is the same country that orchestrated mass killings and sanctioned widespread sexual violence during Operation Searchlight,” he asserted, reminding the world body that history could not be erased.
Profile of Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish
Ambassador Harish, a 1990-batch IFS officer, has built a reputation as one of India’s most articulate voices on the world stage. He assumed charge as India’s Permanent Representative to the UN in September 2024.
A gold medalist in mechanical engineering from Osmania University, he also studied at IIM Calcutta and completed a distinguished program in Arabic language at the American University in Cairo.
His earlier assignments include serving as Ambassador to Germany (2021–24), Ambassador to Vietnam (2016–19), Consul General in Houston (2012–16), and Officer on Special Duty to Vice President Hamid Ansari (2007–12).
He has also worked in postings across Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the Palestinian Authority, besides handling important divisions in the Ministry of External Affairs.
Known for his direct style, Harish has often been described as a diplomat unafraid to call out duplicity in international forums.
Renewed Focus on Forgotten Atrocities
India’s intervention has revived global attention on the underreported genocide of 1971, one of the darkest chapters of South Asian history. Independent researchers and human rights groups estimate that the Pakistani military’s crackdown killed hundreds of thousands and unleashed unprecedented levels of sexual violence.
By spotlighting these atrocities, India sent a strong signal that Pakistan cannot exploit global platforms like the UNSC for selective narratives while ignoring its own record.
India’s Message to the World
Through Ambassador Harish’s intervention, India reaffirmed that historical truth and documented evidence must guide international discussions on women’s rights and security. The remarks made it clear that Pakistan’s attempts to deflect blame will be met with reminders of its own actions, ensuring that the conversation remains anchored in facts rather than propaganda.
