External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday (September 26) hit out at Pakistan at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, accusing Islamabad of misrepresenting facts and attempting to normalise terrorism.
While Jaishankar did not name Pakistan directly in his remarks, he was referring to the address delivered by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the UNGA yesterday. Sharif had raised issues including India-Pakistan tensions, Kashmir and the Indus waters in his speech.
“Yesterday, a serial practitioner of terrorism misrepresented facts before this assembly,” Jaishankar said.
He added that arguments had been made to “normalise terrorism” and seek immunity from its consequences.
“That will not stand. Our right to defend ourselves against terrorism will be exercised,” the external affairs minister said.
Jaishankar said India’s relations with countries that engage in terrorism would inevitably be affected.
“Friendship and goodwill cannot coexist with terrorism, and understandings premised on that will naturally be called into question,” he said.
He further said the responsibility to change rested with those carrying out terrorist activities.
“It is for the perpetrator of terrorism to mend its ways,” Jaishankar said.
Jaishankar also called for governments supporting or engaging in terrorism to be held accountable.
“Governments indulging in such practices must be held accountable. There must be no dilution in our zero tolerance approach towards terrorism,” he said.
He specifically highlighted the financial networks linked to terrorism, saying the financial aspects of terrorist activity must be exposed and countered.
The remarks underline India’s longstanding position that terrorism should remain a central issue in its engagement with Pakistan and that dialogue and normal relations cannot be separated from security concerns.
On Friday, Jaishankar also responded sharply to a Pakistani journalist who questioned him about alleged Indian support for terrorism in Pakistan. “A terrorist country is asking me that question,” Jaishankar said during a press interaction in New York.
India’s latest remarks at the UN came shortly after Sharif’s address, in which the Pakistani prime minister discussed terrorism, Kashmir, the Indus waters dispute and last year’s military confrontation with India.
Sharif addressing the UN General Assembly accused India of aggression and said Pakistan had exercised its right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter during last year’s conflict. Sharif also said that any attempt to stop, impede or divert Pakistan’s share of Indus waters would be treated as an “act of war.”
This is a developing story.
