President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday welcomed the report issued by United Nations human rights experts, which raised serious concerns over India’s military actions against Pakistan in May this year and its wider conduct affecting global peace and stability.
The president, in a statement, said the report reinforced Pakistan’s long-standing position that the unilateral use of force across international borders constituted a violation of the United Nations Charter and a grave breach of Pakistan’s sovereignty.
He said that the findings relating to civilian deaths, damage to populated areas and religious sites of Pakistan in May, and the heightened risk of escalation caused by India were deeply disturbing.
The president appreciated the report’s observations on India’s unilateral declaration of “holding in abeyance” its obligations under the Indus Waters Treaty, its aggressive posture and statements and the serious civilian losses resulting from Indian aggression.
He said the Treaty remained a binding international agreement and a cornerstone of regional stability, and stressed that bypassing agreed dispute-resolution mechanisms and actions affecting water flows violated Pakistan’s rights and risked creating serious human rights consequences.
President Zardari said the report also reflects growing international concerns over India’s conduct as a rogue state that increasingly acts as a global bully, relying on coercion, intimidation and the normalisation of force and violence rather than law and dialogue.
He noted that serious reports of transnational violence and targeted killings attributed to India, raised in multiple countries, pointed to a dangerous pattern that extended beyond the region and undermined global norms.
The president expressed concern that the report clearly manifested the irresponsible state behaviour of India.
“India has long stonewalled its minorities and ignored its commitments to international forums such as the United Nations, but this pattern of rogue behaviour cannot continue indefinitely,” he said, and underscored that such behaviour cannot be allowed to persist.
The president noted the report’s clear conclusion that international law did not recognise any separate right to unilateral military action under the pretext of counter-terrorism.
He said the affirmation of Pakistan’s inherent right to self-defence under international law highlighted the seriousness of the violations identified.
President Zardari welcomed the UN experts’ scrutiny of India’s regional conduct, including concerns relating to support for terror outfits and the use of an illegitimate Afghan government to advance hostile objectives and called for transparency and accountability in this regard.
He also welcomed the call by UN Special Rapporteurs for credible evidence, compensation for civilian losses, adherence to treaty obligations and a commitment to peaceful dialogue, including on Jammu and Kashmir.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to peace, restraint and respect for international law, the president said Pakistan would continue to pursue diplomatic and legal avenues to safeguard its sovereignty, protect the rights of its people and promote stability in the region.