India shreds Pak for reply to Jaishankar's UN speech: '...crimes of terroristan'
After Pakistan reacted to S Jaishankar's remarks on terrorism despite not being directly cited in his speech, India said that Pak admitted to terror practices.
India launched a scathing attack on Pakistan at the United Nations General Assembly after its reaction to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's remarks on terrorism, despite not being cited in his speech. India termed Pakistan's reaction as an admission of its “longstanding practice of cross-border terrorism”.
“It was telling that a neighbour who was not named chose to nevertheless respond and admit their longstanding practice of cross-border terrorism,” India said after Pakistan accused India of attempting to “malign” it with malicious accusations” about terrorism.
During his address at the UNGA General Debate on Saturday, Jaishankar, without naming Pakistan, said, “Major international terrorist attacks are traced back to that one country.” Referring to a “neighbour that is an epicentre of global terrorism”, he said India has confronted the challenge of terrorism since independence.
This was followed by Pakistan's delegate accusing India of maligning Pakistan with malicious accusations, terming India's remarks a “deliberate attempt to repeat lies”.
In response to Pakistan’s Right of Reply, India said it was "telling that a neighbour who was not named chose to nevertheless respond and admit their longstanding practice of cross-border terrorism”.
“Pakistan's reputation speaks for itself. Its fingerprints are so visible in terrorism across so many geographies. It is a menace not only to its neighbours but to the entire world,” Rentala Srinivas, Second Secretary in the Permanent Mission of India to the UN, said.
“No arguments or untruths can ever whitewash the crimes of terroristan!” Srinivas said. Srinivas walked out of the hall when Pakistani delegate took to the floor to respond to his remarks.
Earlier, Jaishankar had urged the international community to unequivocally condemn nations that openly declare terrorism as state policy, where terror hubs operate on an industrial scale and terrorists are glorified publicly.
He stressed on the need to "choke" the financing of terrorism and sanction prominent terrorists, warning that “relentless pressure must be applied on the entire terrorism eco-system” and that those condoning terror sponsors “will find that it comes back to bite them”.
On Saturday, India slammed Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's twisted account of the recent India-Pak conflict in his UN address.
First secretary in India’s Permanent Mission to the UN, Petal Gahlot, lashed out at the Pakistan PM for his "victory" claim in the conflict with India, and claims of turning jets into “scrap and dust”.
"If destroyed runways and burnt-out hangars look like victory, as the prime minister claimed, Pakistan is welcome to enjoy it," Gahlot said, delivering a sharp rebuttal of Shehbaz Sharif's claims.
(With PTI inputs)
