Pakistan’s Duplicity Benefits Neither It Nor The World’: India Hits Back At Shehbaz Sharif’s UN Speech

India on Saturday strongly criticised Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s address to the United Nations General Assembly, accusing Islamabad of terrorism, deceit and duplicity and warning that its support for cross-border terrorism would have consequences.

Exercising India’s right of reply, First Secretary at India’s Permanent Mission to the UN Petal Gahlot rejected Pakistan’s remarks on India and Jammu and Kashmir while questioning Islamabad’s record on terrorism, democratic rights and minority treatment.

India Warns Pakistan Over Cross-Border Terrorism

“At the heart of the issue is the long-standing practice of cross-border terrorism by Pakistan,” Gahlot said.

“We demonstrated last year that terrorists will have nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Our right to defend ourselves against terrorism will be exercised and continued. Terrorism by Pakistan will have consequences,” she told the General Assembly.

Gahlot said India was confident that UN member states would recognise Pakistan’s policies based on their record rather than Islamabad’s presentation of them.

“Reiterating falsehoods year after year does not make them true. Pakistan’s terrorism, deceit and duplicity will neither benefit it nor the world,” she said.

India Responds To Sharif’s Remarks On Democracy

Gahlot also criticised Sharif’s comments on democratic rights and human values, alleging that Pakistan’s military establishment remains the country’s real centre of power.

“We heard some hypocritical homilies about democratic rights and human values from a regime whose capital at this very moment is being fortified against its own people,” she said.

Gahlot further referred to Pakistan’s 27th Amendment and the lifelong immunity it said had been granted to the country’s “real ruler”.

India Raises Osama Bin Laden Reference

The Indian diplomat also cited the presence of al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, near the Pakistan Military Academy, while responding to Islamabad’s criticism of India.

“This happens just a fortnight after New York City and the world marked the 25th anniversary of the horrendous 9-11 terrorist attack,” Gahlot said.

She noted that bin Laden had been living near Pakistan’s premier military academy before he was killed by US forces in 2011.

Gahlot also described the Sharif government as what she called a “Form 47 government”, referring to a term used by critics of Pakistan’s 2024 election process.

India Accuses Pakistan Of Minority Rights Hypocrisy

Gahlot further accused Pakistan of hypocrisy over religious intolerance and minority rights.

“The views we heard emanate from those with a long record of bigotry and hatred,” she said, adding that Pakistan’s blasphemy laws and treatment of minorities were well known internationally.

“No pious platitude can mislead it,” she said.

Jammu And Kashmir At Centre Of Exchange

Sharif had raised the issue of Jammu and Kashmir during his UNGA address. India rejected Pakistan’s position and reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India, while drawing attention to Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Sharif had also referred to the Indus Waters Treaty and India’s Operation Sindoor in his address.

New Delhi has consistently rejected Islamabad’s claims over Jammu and Kashmir and maintained that it reserves the right to respond to cross-border terrorism.