Shiv Sena (UBT) MP and leader of the all-party delegation Priyanka Chaturvedi on Saturday criticized the United Nations Security Council for appointing Pakistan as the vice chair of the counter-terrorism panel. She pointed out that Pakistan was given the role despite 52 designated terrorists residing within its borders.
Addressing the Indian community at a community event in Berlin, Chaturvedi described the UN Security Council’s decision to appoint Pakistan as vice-chairman of its counter-terrorism panel as akin to nominating Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed for the Nobel Peace Prize. She added that such a decision should be criticised. Notably, both Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed are designated as international terrorists by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
“Pakistan has become a part of the UN Security Council. You all are aware that 52 terrorists reside in Pakistan. But they have been given the vice chairmanship of counter-terrorism. It is just like nominating Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed for the Nobel Peace Prize. It needs to be called out. The whole world is suffering due to this,” ANI quoted Chaturvedi as saying.
Chaturvedi also reaffirmed India’s firm stance against terrorism, saying that the country will fight against terrorists without any hesitation.
“We are often told that India is a tolerant nation; yes, India is a tolerant nation. We are a land of Mahatma and Buddha, but we are also the land of Krishna. Whenever there is injustice and we have to fight against terrorists to serve justice, we will do that without any hesitation,” ANI quoted Chaturvedi as saying.
Pakistan, serving as a non-permanent member of the Security Council for the 2025-26 term, will chair the Council’s Taliban Sanctions Committee in 2025 and will hold the position of vice-chair on the Counter-Terrorism Committee of the 15-nation UN body.
Priyanka Chaturvedi is part of an all-party delegation to Europe to convey India’s resolute and united stand against terrorism following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where Pakistan-sponsored terrorists killed 26 innocent civilians.
The delegation arrived in Germany after concluding their visit to Belgium. The delegation, led by Ravi Shankar Prasad, includes BJP MPs Daggubati Purandeswari and Samik Bhattacharya, Congress MP Amar Singh and Gulam Ali Khatana, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, AIADMK MP M Thambidurai, former Union Minister MJ Akbar, and retired diplomat Pankaj Saran.
