Pakistan has strongly rejected Indian allegations at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), accusing New Delhi of destabilising South Asia and branding it a “regional bully.”
Exercising its right of reply to Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar’s remarks, Pakistan’s Second Secretary to the UN, Muhammad Rashid, said Islamabad had sacrificed over 90,000 lives in fighting terrorism and remained committed to global counter-terrorism efforts.
“We are one of the strongest pillars in leading global efforts for combating terrorism, as also highlighted by my prime minister at this forum,” Rashid told the assembly.
He alleged that Indian intelligence networks were implicated in supporting armed groups beyond its borders.
“Credible reports are pointing to networks run by Indian intelligence agencies to destabilise neighbouring countries,” he said, adding: “This country is not just a serial perpetrator of terrorism, it is a regional bully, a net destabiliser for the entire region, holding South Asia hostage to its hegemonic designs and radical ideology.”
Using his second right of reply, Rashid also condemned India for mocking Pakistan’s name during its intervention, saying such rhetoric “reflects neither maturity nor responsibility.”
“By resorting to cheap slurs, India diminishes its own credibility, showing the world it has no substantive argument to offer,” he said.
The diplomatic sparring came days after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told the UNGA that Pakistan sought peace in the region after successfully repulsing what he described as an unprovoked Indian assault earlier this year.
“We have won the war, and now we seek to win peace in our part of the world, and this is my most sincere and serious offer before this assembly of the world nations,” the premier said, praising Pakistan’s armed forces for what he called a professional and valiant defence.
The exchanges underscored the enduring hostility between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, with little sign of dialogue as both continue to accuse each other of sponsoring terrorism.