India has strongly criticised Pakistan at the United Nations, recalling how Islamabad allegedly refused to accept the bodies of its own soldiers killed during the 1999 Kargil War. The statement came during a discussion on religious freedom and funeral rights, with India questioning Pakistan’s position on the issue.
Bhavika Mangalanandan, First Secretary at India’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, made the remarks while responding to an interim report by Nazila Ghanea, the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief.
India Recalls Pakistan’s Role During the Kargil War
Addressing the UN, Mangalanandan highlighted what she described as a contradiction in Pakistan’s position on religious freedom and burial rights.
She said it was ironic that a country that had allegedly refused to accept the bodies of its own soldiers killed in the Kargil conflict was now speaking strongly about faith, religious freedom and funeral practices.
The Indian diplomat also recalled that the Indian Army had buried several Pakistani soldiers with military honours and in accordance with Islamic rites after their bodies were recovered during the conflict.
The 1999 Kargil War saw Indian forces fight Pakistani soldiers and armed infiltrators who had occupied positions on the Indian side of the Line of Control. Pakistan initially denied the involvement of its regular army personnel in the conflict.
Dispute Over the UN Report on Funeral Rights
The exchange followed the presentation of an interim report by UN Special Rapporteur Nazila Ghanea concerning freedom of religion or belief and funeral rights in exceptional circumstances.
The report raised concerns over allegations that the bodies of individuals killed during security operations in Jammu and Kashmir were not returned to their families and were instead buried in remote locations. It also questioned whether such practices disproportionately affected Muslims and conflicted with their religious traditions.
India challenged the report’s framing and questioned whether it adequately considered security concerns, terrorism and comparable incidents in other parts of the world.
Mangalanandan argued that the discussion of funeral rights should take account of the circumstances surrounding deaths, including the impact of terrorist violence on victims and their families.
India Targets Pakistan Over Jammu and Kashmir
The Indian representative also criticised Pakistan for repeatedly raising issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir at international forums.
She argued that Islamabad should focus on developments in territories under its control, including areas of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, rather than repeatedly questioning India’s actions.
Mangalanandan further raised concerns about the treatment of religious minorities in Pakistan, alleging that their rights continued to face violations.
She maintained that countries discussing religious freedom internationally should also address concerns about minority safety and equal rights within their own borders.
India Questions the Report’s Approach to Terrorism
During her remarks, Mangalanandan also questioned the report’s treatment of funeral rights in cases involving individuals accused of terrorism.
She argued that the rights of those killed in terrorist activities must be considered alongside the suffering of victims and their families. While acknowledging that restrictions on funeral rights must operate within legal limits, she emphasised the importance of national security and the protection of innocent lives.
She also criticised what she viewed as an imbalance in the report’s geographical coverage, particularly its discussion of discrimination and funeral practices during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the Indian diplomat, similar incidents in developed countries deserved attention as well, rather than focusing predominantly on countries in the Global South.
A Fresh Diplomatic Exchange at the United Nations
The latest exchange highlights continuing diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan over Jammu and Kashmir, terrorism, religious freedom and human rights.
India’s remarks brought historical events from the Kargil War into a contemporary debate about funeral rights and international accountability. Pakistan’s position and the wider allegations surrounding the issues remain part of the ongoing diplomatic dispute.
The discussion also underscores the challenges faced by international human rights mechanisms when balancing religious freedoms, the rights of families to receive the bodies of deceased relatives, security considerations and the obligations of governments under international law.
As the debate continues, the exchange at the United Nations reflects how historical conflicts continue to influence relations between the two neighbouring countries decades after the Kargil War.
