India and Pakistan abstained from voting on a UNHRC resolution on Russian aggression in Ukraine

New Delhi : It is rarely seen when India and Pakistan are unanimous on any issue. However, Pakistan has shown India's stand on Ukraine issue. India and Pakistan are among 12 countries that have refrained from voting on a UN Human Rights Council resolution to address the "crisis emanating from the Russian invasion" in Ukraine. China and Eritrea are the only two countries to vote against the resolution in the 47-member body.

Let us tell you that India has refrained from voting in the past on the resolutions brought against Russia in the UN regarding the attack on Ukraine. In this sequence, India once again participated in the pre-poll discussions and called for respect and protection of the human rights of the people in Ukraine and reiterated its "commitment to the global promotion and protection of human rights".

The UN resolution called for an additional mandate for an already established commission of inquiry to investigate human rights violations committed by Russia in Ukraine's Kyiv, Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Sumy cities. However, 33 votes were cast in favor of the motion, due to which it was passed. The resolution also urged Russia to provide international agencies with unhindered access to people who have been "relocated" from war-torn areas and are reportedly living in Russian territory. Moscow claims that these people entered Russia of their own free will.

India had in March also refrained from voting in the council on the proposal to set up a commission of inquiry. However, India has condemned the civilian killings in Buka and supported the call for an independent investigation. Significantly, China had also refrained from voting on that occasion, but this time it voted against the resolution, saying that it is neither balanced nor objective and it is only a proposal to increase tension.