EAM calls Pak ‘terror hub’ at UN
Without naming Pakistan, Jaishankar referenced April’s Pahalgam attack as “the most recent example of cross border barbarism”
External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Saturday delivered a scathing indictment of Pakistan at the UN General Assembly, describing the country as “an epicentre of global terrorism for decades” and warning that those who condone terror sponsors will find “it comes back to bite them.”
Speaking hours after Indian diplomats presented another rebuke to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s address to the UNGA on Friday, Jaishankar told the assembly that “for decades now, major international terrorist attacks are traced back to that one country” and condemned nations where “terror hubs operate on an industrial scale” and “terrorists are publicly glorified.”
Without naming Pakistan, Jaishankar referenced April’s Pahalgam attack as “the most recent example of cross border barbarism” where innocent tourists were murdered, declaring that “when nations openly declare terrorism a state policy” such actions “must be unequivocally condemned.”
“India exercised its right to defend its people against terrorism and brought its organisers and perpetrators to justice,” Jaishankar said, referring to Operation Sindoor launched in May. India’s foreign minister also delivered a warning to countries that supported sponsors of terrorism by stating that such policies had a way of rebounding to harm those very same nations. He called for a relentless policy of restricting funding and condemning sponsorship of international terror.
His address escalated India’s diplomatic offensive that began Friday night when New Delhi replied to Sharif’s UN speech, demanding Islamabad dismantle terrorist camps and hand over wanted terrorists as pre-conditions for any peace dialogue between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
Sharif had used his UN platform to reiterate Pakistan’s Nobel Peace Prize nomination for US President Donald Trump, calling him “a man of peace” and crediting him with preventing “catastrophic” war between the nuclear neighbours. “Had he not intervened timely and decisively, the consequences of a full-fledged war would have been catastrophic,” Sharif claimed.
The Pakistani premier also declared victory in May’s four-day conflict, claiming Pakistan shot down seven Indian fighter jets while referring to India as “the enemy.” Despite the confrontational rhetoric, Sharif proposed comprehensive dialogue with India on “all outstanding issues,” including Kashmir, while condemning India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty.
India firmly rejected Sharif’s dialogue proposal without concrete action against terrorism. Indian diplomat Petal Gahlot, delivering New Delhi’s initial rebuttal late on Friday evening, condemned Sharif’s address for its “absurd theatrics” and accused Pakistan of defending the very terror groups responsible for attacks on Indian civilians.
“A country long steeped in the tradition of deploying and exporting terrorism has no shame in advancing the most ludicrous narratives to that end,” Gahlot told the assembly. “Let us recall that it sheltered Osama bin Laden for a decade, even while pretending to partner in the war against terrorism.”
Gahlot specifically criticised Pakistan for defending the Resistance Front — the terror group that claimed responsibility for April’s Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians and triggered India’s Operation Sindoor in May.
India demolished Sharif’s victory claims, revealing that Pakistan’s military had “pleaded directly” for a ceasefire after Indian forces destroyed multiple Pakistani airbases.
“The record on this matter is clear. Till May 9, Pakistan was threatening more attacks on India. But on May 10, its military pleaded with us directly for a cessation to the fighting,” Gahlot explained. “The intervening event was the destruction caused to multiple Pakistani airbases by Indian forces.”
Taking a pointed jab at Sharif’s victory claims, she added: “If destroyed runways and burnt-out hangers look like victory, as the Prime Minister claimed, Pakistan is welcome to enjoy it.”
India also pushed back against Sharif’s criticism of “Hindutva extremism,” with Gahlot responding: “It is also ironic that a country which wallows in hate, bigotry and intolerance should preach to this Assembly on matters of faith.”
India, however, chose not to address Pakistani criticisms regarding Kashmir or the suspended Indus Waters Treaty, focusing instead on terrorism and demonstrating the May conflict’s military outcomes contradicted Pakistan’s victory narrative.
