Pakistan envoy goofs up at U.N., labels Gaza War picture as 'face of Indian democracy'

Social media users uncovered that the picture was of a Gaza girl taken by award-winning photojournalist Heidi Levine in July 2014.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the U.N. Maleeha Lodhi responds to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj at the U.N. on Saturday. Photo: @PakistanUN_NY

Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi’s attempts to put India on the back foot turned out to be an embarrassment for her as a picture she presented of India’s alleged human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir turned out to be from Gaza.

Ms. Lodhi waved the picture while responding to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s stinging criticism of Pakistan on September 23. “This is the face of Indian democracy,” Ms. Lodhi said on the floor of U.N. General Assembly, showing the photo of a woman whose face had multiple injuries from pellet shots.

Social media users uncovered that the picture was of a Gaza woman, Rawya abu Jom, 17, taken by award-winning American photo journalist Heidi Levine in July 2014.

Indian soldiers had used pellet guns widely to deal with insurrection in the State in 2016. The Pakistani mission to the U.N. had not responded to the controversy.