On May 7, 2025, India carried out an unprovoked military strike against Pakistan, targeting nine civilian and religious sites. Justified under the pretense of the April 22 Pahalgam incident in Indian-occupied Kashmir, this assault amounts to a direct act of aggression in violation of international law. It represents not only a grave breach of the United Nations Charter but also an open affront to human rights, international humanitarian law, and fundamental principles of state sovereignty. India’s actions violate numerous legal frameworks, including the Geneva Conventions, customary international law, and longstanding bilateral agreements such as the Indus Waters Treaty.
This aggression is not an isolated episode. It reflects a deep-rooted, ideologically motivated policy anchored in the Hindutva doctrine, which has systematically sought to destabilize Pakistan. A peace-seeking, nuclear-armed Islamic republic, Pakistan has repeatedly faced violations of its territorial integrity, including support for terrorism, cross-border subversion, and water weaponization. India’s latest military action, therefore, is not simply about one incident; it is the continuation of a sustained and deliberate campaign of hostility.
Historical precedent substantiates this pattern. In 1971, India’s intervention in East Pakistan violated Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, undermining the principle of non-intervention. The 1999 Kargil conflict was framed through manipulative narratives that distorted the true context of military engagement. More recently, India’s so-called “surgical strikes” of 2016 and 2019 were used as propaganda tools to generate domestic political support while threatening regional peace. The case of Kulbhushan Jadhav, a serving Indian naval officer arrested in 2016, offers damning proof of India’s support for espionage and terrorism inside Pakistan, openly violating international norms, including UN General Assembly Resolution 49/60 and advisory principles articulated by the International Court of Justice.
Furthermore, India has been accused of funding and arming terrorist groups operating in Balochistan and the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Dossiers submitted by Pakistan to the United Nations and international partners contain compelling evidence of Indian complicity in violations of UNSC Resolutions 1373 and 1566, which explicitly prohibit the financing and support of non-state actors. These actions have normalized terrorism as an instrument of Indian foreign policy, undermining not just bilateral trust but the global fight against transnational extremism.
The May 7 attack itself contravenes multiple principles of international law. Article 2(4) of the UN Charter forbids the use of force against the sovereignty and political independence of states, while Article 51 clearly permits Pakistan to defend itself in the event of an armed attack. By bombing civilian homes and religious sites, India has also violated key protections under the Geneva Conventions, particularly Additional Protocol I, which prohibits targeting non-combatants and sacred spaces. These acts amount to war crimes under international humanitarian law and customary legal norms reaffirmed in ICJ decisions, including the Nicaragua v. United States ruling of 1986.
In addition to kinetic aggression, India has also weaponized water against Pakistan, threatening the foundational principles of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty. Repeated violations of the treaty’s Articles 3, 4, and 7, coupled with threats to alter river flows, undermine regional stability and breach Pakistan’s water rights under international law. These actions also contravene the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, which enshrines the principle of pacta sunt servanda, requiring states to honor treaty obligations in good faith. Moreover, the strategic use of water as a weapon of war violates the Environmental Modification Convention (ENMOD), classifying such acts as environmental warfare. The implications are severe, placing millions of Pakistani lives and livelihoods at risk by endangering agriculture, food security, and access to clean water.
India’s unlawful actions also provide a renewed legal and moral imperative to internationalize the Kashmir dispute. The revocation of Article 370 in 2019 and subsequent human rights violations in Indian-occupied Jammu & Kashmir, including enforced disappearances, torture, extrajudicial killings, and demographic engineering, have been widely documented by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and respected international NGOs. The world must be reminded of relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, such as 47, 51, 80, and 91, which call for a plebiscite to determine the will of the Kashmiri people. Pakistan’s obligation to raise the Kashmir issue is no longer simply a diplomatic choice; it is a legal and humanitarian necessity.
In response to India’s latest breach, Pakistan must activate a comprehensive legal and diplomatic strategy. Under Article 51 of the UN Charter, Pakistan should formally notify the UN Security Council of the aggression and affirm its right to proportional self-defense. If the Security Council proves unresponsive due to political gridlock, Pakistan can invoke the Uniting for Peace resolution to bring the issue before the General Assembly. Simultaneously, India’s war crimes and treaty violations must be referred to the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice, respectively. These legal measures should be supported by a sustained diplomatic campaign engaging the OIC, SCO, China, Türkiye, and other strategic allies to condemn India’s actions.
Equally important is the need to build a compelling media and legal narrative based on documented facts, detailing India’s use of terrorism, war crimes, and environmental aggression. This effort should coincide with strategic preparation for a proportionate and lawful military response, adhering strictly to the principles of necessity and proportionality in international law.
Ultimately, the May 7 aggression is a culmination of India’s repeated violations of international norms and bilateral commitments. In contrast, Pakistan’s position is grounded firmly in law, justice, and moral clarity. Its right to self-defense is not only enshrined in the UN Charter but also affirmed by decades of legal precedent. The international community must recognize that unchecked Indian militarism threatens not only Pakistan but regional and global peace. Now is the time to defend not just territory, but the credibility of international law itself. Pakistan’s call for justice, sovereignty, and security must be heard and upheld.
