By Anjali Sharma
UNITED NATIONS – India First Secretary at the Permanent mission of India Petal Gahlot on Saturday condemned Sharif’s speech and criticized Pakistan for once again pedaling a distorted narrative.
She called Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s remarks at the UNGA ‘absurd theatrics’, India has accused Islamabad of “glorifying terrorism and spreading falsehoods on the global stage”.
“This assembly witnessed absurd theatrics in the morning from the Prime Minister of Pakistan, who once again glorified terrorism that is so central to their (Pakistan’s) foreign policy,” said Gahlot,
“No degree of drama and no level of lies can conceal the facts.”
She pointed out that Pakistan had obstructed accountability for a Pakistani-sponsored terror group ‘The Resistance Front’ responsible for killing tourists in Jammu and Kashmir during the Pahalgam attack in April 2025, and reminded the international community of Islamabad’s history of harboring global terrorists like Osama bin Laden.
Prime Minister Sharif in his address claimed that Pakistan faced “unprovoked aggression” from India earlier this year, asserted that Pakistan’s armed forces had averted the attack with “stunning professionalism, bravery, and acumen,” shooting down several Indian aircraft.
“A country (Pakistan) long-steeped in the tradition of deploying and exporting terrorism has no shame in advancing the most ludicrous narratives to that end,” she said.
Ms. Gahlot recalled how Pakistan sheltered bin Laden for a decade, even while pretending to be a partner in the fight against terrorism. She also pointed out that Pakistani ministers themselves had publicly admitted to running terror camps.
“It should come as no surprise that this duplicity continues, now at the level of its Prime Minister,” she added.
Gahlot highlighted the successful Indian counter-terror operation, Operation Sindoor, which followed the Pahalgam attack and led to the destruction of nine terror bases.
“A picture speaks a thousand words,” she said, referencing images of terrorists killed in Bahawalpur and Muridke terror complexes during the operation. “When senior Pakistani military and civilian officials publicly glorify notorious terrorists, can there be any doubt about the inclinations of this regime?” she asked.
Sharif’s account of the recent conflict triggered by the Pahalgam terror attack orchestrated by Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), Gahlot described it as “bizarre.”
“Until 9 May, Pakistan was threatening more attacks on India. But on May 10, its military directly pleaded for a cessation of hostilities.”
She pointed to the success of the Indian Armed Forces’ operations and Pakistan’s subsequent plea for peace: “The intervening event was the destruction of multiple Pakistani air bases by Indian forces. The images of that damage are, of course, publicly accessible. If destroyed runways and burned-out hangars signify victory, as the Prime Minister claimed, then Pakistan is welcome to celebrate that ‘victory’.”
“We have exercised our right to defend our people and bring the perpetrators to justice,” she said. “If Pakistan truly seeks peace, it must immediately shut down all terrorist camps and hand over terrorists wanted in India.”
She reiterated India’s long-standing position on bilateral relations.
Gahlot emphasized, “India and Pakistan have agreed that any outstanding issues will be resolved bilaterally. There is no room for third-party involvement.”
She concluded with a resolute warning on terrorism: “Where terrorism is concerned, we are making it clear that there will be no distinction between terrorists and their sponsors. Both will be held accountable. Nor will we allow terrorism to be practiced under the cover of nuclear blackmail. India will never bow to such threats. India’s message to the world is clear: there must be zero tolerance for terrorism.”
