Experts highlight civilian harm in India’s missile strikes, call for adherence to international norms
Labourers walk on a bridge near the newly inaugurated 450-megawatt hydropower project located at Baglihar Dam on the Chenab river which flows from Indian Kashmir into Pakistan, at Chanderkote, about 145 km (90 miles) north of Jammu October 10, 2008. PHOTO: REUTERS
United Nations Special Rapporteurs and independent experts have criticised India’s military actions during the May conflict with Pakistan, saying New Delhi may have breached international law and increased the risk of wider confrontation. The report also raised concern over India’s announcement to keep the Indus Waters Treaty “held in abeyance.”
The report, released on Friday, centres on May 7, when Indian forces allegedly carried out strikes inside Pakistani territory. The UN experts said the unilateral use of force appeared to violate the UN Charter and noted that India had not formally notified the UN Security Council of its actions, which they said is required under international law.
The report said the strikes caused civilian harm, claiming that populated areas were hit, resulting in casualties and injuries, and that religious sites, including mosques, were damaged. While the experts condemned the Pahalgam attack that preceded India’s response, they said there was insufficient evidence to support India’s allegations of Pakistani state involvement.
The legal assessment is unequivocal; International law provides “no separate, recognised right to use unilateral military force for counter-terrorism,” the report states. It warns that such action could violate the right to life and increase the risk of wider confrontation. The experts said that if India’s conduct amounts to an armed attack, Pakistan would retain a right to self-defence, and they characterised the strikes as a serious violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty.
On the Indus Waters Treaty, the report said that any obstruction or threat to river flows could affect the basic rights of millions of people in Pakistan, including access to water, food, livelihoods, health, the environment, and development.
The experts said that interference in cross-border water flows should be avoided and that water should not be used as political or economic leverage. They said the treaty cannot be suspended unilaterally and remains in force unless both governments agree to terminate it through a new arrangement.
Read: Pakistan accuses India of manipulating Chenab river flow
The experts called India’s phrasing of the treaty being “held in abeyance” ambiguous and said New Delhi had not clearly invoked provisions for suspension under treaty law. The report described any unilateral suspension as unlawful because it bypasses established procedures.
The report said disputes should be handled through the settlement mechanisms in the treaty. It described India’s references to “material breach” and alleged cross-border terrorism as legally weak grounds for suspension, saying Pakistan had not been shown to have violated any treaty clause.
The experts said a fundamental change of circumstances requires a strict legal threshold and that population or energy demands alone do not meet it. They added that India had not presented evidence to justify countermeasures and argued that restricting water flows or suspending the treaty would be a disproportionate step affecting Pakistani civilians.
According to the report, countermeasures do not remove human-rights obligations and would require notice, negotiation, and completion of legal steps. The experts said such measures are temporary and reversible and do not justify permanent suspension or termination.
The experts attributed responsibility for deterioration in treaty engagement to India, noting that annual meetings of the Indus Commission have not taken place since 2022 and citing obstacles in data exchange and disagreements over settlement clauses as contrary to the treaty’s intent.
Read more: Pak rebuffs India’s criticisms of constitutional tweaks
In a statement released by the President’s Secretariat, President Asif Ali Zardari welcomed the report, saying it “reinforces Pakistan’s long-standing position that the unilateral use of force across international borders constitutes a violation of the United Nations Charter and a grave breach of Pakistan’s sovereignty.”
Addressing the report’s assessment of violations of the Indus Waters Treaty, the president said bypassing agreed dispute-resolution mechanisms and actions affecting water flows violated Pakistan’s rights and risked creating serious human rights consequences.
Zardari expressed concern that the report clearly demonstrated India’s irresponsible state behaviour. “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, emphasising that such conduct could not be allowed to persist.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, addressing Foreign diplomats on Friday, stated that in April 2025, India unilaterally suspended the Indus Waters Treaty and withheld essential data and information that Pakistan is entitled to under the agreement.
According to Dar, UN Special Rapporteurs in the report have confirmed Pakistan’s position on the treaty, emphasising that the Indus Waters Treaty is a cornerstone of peace and stability in South Asia, and any attempts to weaken it could destabilise the entire region.
He further reported that unusual fluctuations in the Chenab River flow were recorded twice this year, from April 20 to May 21 and December 7 to 15, and that India released water into the Chenab without prior notice, exposing Pakistan to floods and drought risks.
Dar has said these actions violate international law and Article 26 of the Vienna Convention, and accused India of systematically attempting to undermine the treaty. Projects such as Kishanganga and Ratle were also highlighted as being inconsistent with the treaty’s technical provisions.
May conflict timeline
In Pahalgam, Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, five militants killed 26 civilian tourists on April 22, 2025. India held Pakistan responsible for the attack, prompting a sharp escalation of diplomatic and military tensions. The following day, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, closed the Attari–Wagah border, expelled Pakistani military diplomats, reduced Pakistan’s diplomatic staff, and cancelled SAARC visas for Pakistani nationals. Border skirmishes were reported repeatedly between April 23 and 30.
In response, Pakistan took countermeasures by cancelling Indian visas, evacuating Indian nationals, closing its airspace to Indian aircraft, and halting trade. Pakistani officials also warned India against diverting Indus River water, describing such actions as potentially constituting an act of war. Tensions continued to mount as India initiated ceasefire violations along the Line of Control, and its airspace restrictions affected Pakistani flights at the end of April.
Escalation persisted into early May, with both countries preparing militarily. On May 4, India stopped the downflow from Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River, while Pakistan shot down 29 Indian drones near the LoC and within Punjab on May 6.
Military operations (May 7-11)
India launched “Operation Sindoor” on May 7, conducting missile strikes on multiple sites across Punjab and Kashmir, including Bahawalpur, Muridke, Gulpur, Bhimber, Chak Amru, Bagh, Kotli, Sialkot, and Muzaffarabad. Three days later, on May 10, the Indian Air Force targeted eight major Pakistani air bases, including Nur Khan Base in Rawalpindi. Pakistan retaliated early the same day with Operation “Bunyan-un-Marsoos,” striking 26 military sites in India and Indian-administered Kashmir using missiles and drones. A second wave of attacks included swarm drones, loitering munitions, and Fatah missiles, targeting 26 locations along India’s western border.
The conflict subsided after mediation by former US President Donald Trump, who announced a ceasefire on May 10 via X. Pakistan claimed victory following the ceasefire on May 11.
