India Rebukes Pakistan at UN Over Terrorism Allegations and Stages Walkout
India sharply criticised Pakistan at the United Nations after Islamabad responded to remarks by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on terrorism, even though he had not mentioned the country by name. Indian officials described Pakistan’s reaction as an indirect admission of its “longstanding involvement in cross-border terrorism.”
Speaking at the UN General Assembly over the weekend, Jaishankar referred to a “neighbour that is an epicentre of global terrorism,” pointing out that major international terror attacks have often been traced back to the same nation. He called on the global community to unequivocally condemn states that promote terrorism as policy, fund militant networks, and glorify extremists.
Pakistan’s representative dismissed India’s statements as a “deliberate attempt to repeat lies.” Responding to Pakistan’s Right of Reply, Rentala Srinivas, Second Secretary at India’s Permanent Mission to the UN, countered that it was telling that a country not named in Jaishankar’s address chose to respond—thereby exposing its own record.
“Pakistan’s reputation speaks for itself. Its fingerprints are evident in terrorism across many regions. It is a threat not only to its neighbours but to the world at large,” Srinivas said. He added, “No argument or falsehood can ever cover up the crimes of Terroristan.”
When Pakistan’s delegate attempted to reply once more, Srinivas left the assembly hall in protest.
Jaishankar, in his address, stressed the urgency of choking terror financing, imposing sanctions on known extremists, and maintaining relentless pressure on the entire terrorism network. Without naming Pakistan, he noted that many individuals on UN-designated terrorist lists hold its nationality. Citing the killing of innocent tourists in Pahalgam earlier this year as an example of “cross-border barbarism,” he reaffirmed that India would defend its citizens and bring those responsible to justice.