‘Fabricating Tales Of Islamophobia’: India Calls Out Pakistan At UN For ‘Weaponising Religion’

Last Updated:March 17, 2026, 08:30 IST

India’s UN envoy slammed Pakistan saying that the only “phobia” visible was against the peaceful coexistence enjoyed by all communities in India, including Muslims.

As an airstrike in Kabul killed at least 400 people on Monday night, India’s UN envoy Parvathaneni Harish criticised Pakistan over what he called “brutal repression of Ahmadiyyas" and the “large-scale refoulement of the helpless Afghans" during the Holy Month of Ramzan.

‘False allegations against India’

Harish said India’s “western neighbour" has “systematically attempted to weaponise" platforms against India and has “repeatedly made false and baseless allegations".

He accused Pakistan of spreading false claims of Islamophobia and targeting India through the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

“India’s western neighbour is an excellent example of fabricating imaginative tales of Islamophobia in their neighbourhood," he said.

India’s warning against misuse of religion

India’s envoy stressed the need for the United Nations to recognise the dangers of using religious identity for political purposes.

“I stress that it is important for the UN to take note of the rising trend and dangers of weaponising religious identity and instrumentalising it to serve narrow political ends," he said.

He also questioned Pakistan’s record, referring to the treatment of Ahmadiyyas, the return of Afghan refugees and air-bombing campaigns during Ramzan.

“One wonders what would brutal repression of Ahmadiyyas in this country be termed, or the large-scale refoulement of the helpless Afghans or air-bombing campaigns in this Holy Month of Ramadan?… The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, which our western neighbour has systematically attempted to weaponise against India, has, repeatedly made false and baseless allegations against my country," added Harish. 

‘India reflects multicultural coexistence’

Harish said Pakistan was unable to accept India’s “multicultural and peaceful coexistence".

“Muslims in India, including those in Jammu and Kashmir, elect their own representatives to speak for them," he said.

He slammed Pakistan saying that the only “phobia" visible was against the peaceful coexistence enjoyed by all communities in India, including Muslims.

“Muslims in India, including those in Jammu and Kashmir, elect their own representatives to speak for them. The only “phobia" evident here appears to be directed against the multicultural and peaceful coexistence that all communities in India enjoy, including Muslim communities," said Harish at the UN.

Harish urged the UN to focus on building inclusive societies based on equality, dignity and the rule of law for people of all faiths.

Kabul strike and rising Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions

The strike comes as fighting between Afghanistan and Pakistan entered its third week, marking a major escalation.

Afghanistan’s deputy government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said the airstrike hit a hospital at around 9 pm local time, severely damaging the 2,000-bed facility.

According to him, the death toll has reached 400, with about 350 people injured.

The Taliban government accused Pakistan of carrying out the strike, but Islamabad denied the claim, calling the allegations baseless and rejecting that a hospital was targeted.

News world ‘Fabricating Tales Of Islamophobia’: India Calls Out Pakistan At UN For ‘Weaponising Religion’

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