At UN, India Recalls How Pakistan Disowned Its Soldiers After Kargil War: ‘Indian Army Buried Them’

India Slams Pakistan at UN, Recalls How Indian Army Buried Pakistani Soldiers With Military Honours After Kargil War

India on Thursday took aim at Pakistan at the United Nations over terrorism, religious freedom and human rights, recalling Islamabad’s refusal to accept the bodies of some of its soldiers killed during the 1999 Kargil War. Indian diplomat Bhavika Mangalanandan said the Indian Army subsequently buried the fallen Pakistani soldiers with military honours and in accordance with Islamic rites.

The remarks came as India countered Pakistan’s statements on faith, religious freedom and burial practices, questioning the country’s record on these issues while raising concerns over terrorism and alleged human rights violations.

India Reminds Pakistan of 1999 Kargil War
Speaking at the UN, Mangalanandan highlighted Pakistan’s response to the deaths of its soldiers during the Kargil conflict, contrasting it with the Indian Army’s treatment of their remains.

“It is deeply ironic that a state that did not even accept the bodies of its own soldiers who were killed in combat in 1999 in Kargil, unabashedly speaks with a fervour on faith, religious freedom and burials. Let me remind them that it was the Indian Army who buried a number of Pakistani soldiers with military honours and in accordance with Islamic rites,” she said.

Her statement challenged Pakistan’s assertions on religious freedom by recalling an episode from the conflict in which, according to India, its military ensured that fallen Pakistani soldiers received a dignified burial despite Islamabad not accepting their bodies.

India Accuses Pakistan of Misusing International Platforms
Mangalanandan also accused Pakistan of using international forums to spread misinformation about Jammu and Kashmir and terrorism. She urged Islamabad to address developments in areas under its own control rather than repeatedly raising the issue of the Indian Union Territory.

“Pakistan’s deep obsession with the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir should be directed at the developments underway in the parts of Jammu and Kashmir under its illegal occupation, such as Rawalakot,” the Indian diplomat said.

India has consistently accused Pakistan of supporting cross-border terrorism and using international platforms to challenge its position on Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan, in turn, continues to raise the Kashmir dispute at the United Nations.

Mahima Kumari Mewar Raises Civilian Killings
Separately, Lok Sabha MP Mahima Kumari Mewar raised concerns about alleged violence against civilians in Pakistan during India’s right of reply in the Fourth Committee of the UN General Assembly last week.

Mewar accused Pakistani armed forces and their proxies of killing people who had been protesting for basic rights, freedoms and essential necessities.

“In the last few months, the Pakistani armed forces and their proxies have killed dozens of innocent civilians who were agitating for their basic rights and freedoms and basic necessities,” she said.

The remarks added to India’s criticism of Pakistan’s human rights record and its handling of protests, alongside New Delhi’s objections to Islamabad’s statements on Jammu and Kashmir and religious freedom at the United Nations.