India delivered a strong message to Pakistan at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) today, following a speech by Pakistan's Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, where he brought up the Jammu and Kashmir issue. India countered with a firm stance, warning that Pakistan’s ongoing support for cross-border terrorism would "inevitably invite consequences."
Bhavika Mangalanandan, India's First Secretary to the UN, sharply criticized Pakistan, accusing it of being complicit in global terrorism and using cross-border terrorism as a tool of state policy. Her rebuttal followed Mr. Sharif’s remarks, where he called for India to reverse its 2019 decision to abrogate Article 370, which stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special status, and pushed for dialogue between the two nations.
"This Assembly regrettably witnessed a travesty this morning. A country run by the military, with a global reputation for terrorism, narcotics trade and transnational crime has had the audacity to attack the world's largest democracy," Ms. Mangalanandan stated. "The world can see for itself what Pakistan really is."
She further described Mr. Sharif's comments as bold, especially given Pakistan's international reputation for sponsoring terrorism and its involvement in illicit activities. She highlighted Pakistan-based terror groups, like those responsible for the 2001 Indian Parliament attack and the 2008 Mumbai attacks, as clear examples of this.
Ms. Mangalanandan emphasized Pakistan's connection to several terrorist activities worldwide. "Perhaps it should come as no surprise that its prime minister would so speak in this hallowed hall. Yet we must make clear how unacceptable his words are to all of us. We know that Pakistan will seek to counter the truth with more lies. Repetition will change nothing. Our stand is clear and needs no reiteration," she remarked.
India also dismissed any notion of a "Strategic Restraint Regime" with Pakistan until terrorism is fully eradicated, with Mangalanandan stating, "There can be no compact with terrorism." She also alluded to Pakistan's past, including its sheltering of Osama bin Laden and ties to global terrorist incidents.
In his speech, Mr. Sharif attempted to connect the Kashmir conflict to regional peace, while accusing India of expanding its military capabilities against Pakistan. However, India countered these claims by pointing out Pakistan's consistent interference in Jammu and Kashmir, primarily through terrorist means, aimed at destabilizing the region's democratic process.
India’s response also highlighted Pakistan’s domestic issues, accusing it of human rights violations, including the 1971 genocide in Bangladesh and ongoing persecution of minorities. Ms. Mangalanandan deemed it "ridiculous" for Pakistan to lecture the world on intolerance, given its own troubling record.
In response, Pakistan exercised its Right of Reply, dismissing India's assertions as "baseless and misleading" and once again advocating for a referendum in Jammu and Kashmir, in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.