New York (Rajeev Sharma): India has issued a firm and unambiguous response to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), accusing him of misrepresenting facts, glorifying terrorists, and using the international platform to peddle false narratives.
Exercising the Right of Reply, Petal Gahlot, First Secretary at India’s Permanent Mission to the UN, strongly condemned Sharif’s remarks, asserting that Pakistan’s continued justification of terrorism exposes its true intentions.
“What we witnessed this morning was not diplomacy but dramatic storytelling from the Prime Minister of Pakistan. But theatrics can’t overshadow the reality: Pakistan has long used terrorism as an instrument of statecraft,” Gahlot said.
Sharif’s Remarks Spark Outrage
During his address, Prime Minister Sharif claimed that Indian fighter aircraft sustained significant damage during a brief military engagement earlier this year, referring to ‘Operation Sindoor’, a counter-terrorism offensive launched by India following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians.
Contradicting Sharif’s claim, Indian officials had earlier confirmed that Indian jets successfully downed five Pakistani fighter aircraft, along with a surveillance plane, as part of the targeted strikes against terror camps in Bahawalpur and Muridke—areas known for housing extremist networks.
Gahlot pointed out that Pakistan’s account of the conflict was not only misleading but also contradicted by Pakistan’s own actions.
“Until May 9, Pakistan threatened escalation. Yet, by May 10, its military was appealing directly to ours to de-escalate. The facts are clear,” she said.
Terror Infrastructure in Focus
India emphasized that the May operation was a direct response to a terror attack on civilians, and reiterated that the targets were verified terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Gahlot also recalled Pakistan’s attempt at the UN Security Council in April, where it blocked accountability measures against The Resistance Front, a proxy group held responsible for killing tourists in Jammu and Kashmir.
“When a state defends a terror outfit responsible for a massacre, it tells you everything about its priorities,” Gahlot told the General Assembly.
Historical Duplicity Called Out
Taking aim at Pakistan’s history of harboring extremists, India once again raised the case of Osama bin Laden, who was found and killed in Abbottabad in 2011, not far from Pakistan’s military academy.
“A country that gave refuge to the world’s most wanted terrorist for over a decade has the audacity to lecture others on peace,” said Gahlot.
She also criticized recent admissions by Pakistani leaders themselves, who have acknowledged the existence of terror training camps within their borders—an acknowledgment that further undermines Pakistan’s credibility on the global stage.
Sharif’s Praise for Trump Draws Eyebrows
In a surprising move during his UNGA address, Shehbaz Sharif praised U.S. President Donald Trump, crediting him with averting a potential war between India and Pakistan and even claiming that Pakistan had nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Sharif’s comments were made following a visit to Washington D.C., where he and Field Marshal Asim Munir reportedly held meetings with Trump at the White House.
Kashmir Mentioned Again
Predictably, Sharif once again raised the Kashmir issue, calling for a UN-supervised plebiscite and accusing India of attempting to unilaterally alter the status of the region. He also criticized New Delhi’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, calling it a violation of international agreements and a potential act of war.
India responded by reiterating its long-held position that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country, and any matters concerning it are internal issues not open to international mediation.
“Terror Cannot Be Justified”
Gahlot concluded India’s reply with a stern reminder that no narrative, no matter how theatrically delivered, can justify the use of terrorism as foreign policy.
“Pakistan’s obsession with distorting reality only reflects its own insecurities and failures. It would do better to focus on dismantling its terror networks rather than defending them on global platforms,” she said.
