The Guardian’s revelation of the killings of 20 Pakistani citizens by the Indian Agency, RAW, has once again exposed the real face of the rogue intelligence agency to the whole world. Pakistan’s government from day one is of the view that Indian state-sponsored terrorism needs to be fixed. Besides Pakistan, Canada and the US also condemned India for its nefarious activities on their soil. This egregious behaviour has raised serious concerns about India’s adherence to global norms and principles. India’s actions, involving the killing of civilians, underscore a blatant disregard for international laws and the UN Charter on various fronts.
Firstly, the use of lethal force against civilians, especially those outside of Indian territory, without proper legal justification or authorization, goes against the principles of human rights and the protection of civilian populations enshrined in international law. Secondly, such extrajudicial killings violate the sovereignty of Pakistan, as they represent an unauthorized incursion into Pakistani territory and an infringement upon its territorial integrity, which is protected under Article 2(4) of the UN Charter. Article 2(4) also states that no state shall do anything that conflicts with the purposes of the United Nations. However, the actions of RAW in orchestrating these killings sabotage the UN efforts aimed at combating terrorism and protecting human rights.
Time has come for the international community to see India’s violations of international law and UN resolutions from the lens of the flagbearer of the custodian of law.
The UN Charter emphasizes the peaceful settlement of disputes between nations and encourages states to resolve their differences through diplomacy and dialogue. India’s tilt towards extrajudicial killings instead of pursuing diplomatic channels for addressing its concerns with Pakistan represents its disregard for this principle. Moreover, the disregard for legal options and the conduct of extrajudicial killings instead, undermines the principles of justice and accountability upheld by the international community. Such actions erode trust in the rule-based international order and set a dangerous precedent for state behaviour.
This is not the first time as India has a history of running sinister and sophisticated campaigns of extrajudicial killings. Pakistan has time and again brought India’s malign actions to the notice of the international community and shared irrefutable evidence of Indian involvement in terrorism activities. However, nothing significant has ever been done to put a stop to India’s monstrous actions. India has become a major threat to international peace and security. Its hegemonic designs are not only a threat to South Asia but also it will have global implications.
Even if the world powers ignore this fascism, it does not reduce the seriousness of the threat. Time has come for the international community to see India’s violations of International law & UN resolutions from the lens of the flagbearer of the custodian of law. All peace-loving nations must stand united in demanding accountability. Let us not be bystanders to injustice; let us be guardians of peace, champions of truth, and defenders of humanity. The time for global accountability is now.
The writer is a freelance contributor.