External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar addressed the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Saturday, September 28, directly countering remarks made by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif the previous day. The exchange between the two nations has escalated over the course of September 27 and 28, with each side issuing pointed statements.
In reference to this year’s UNGA theme, “Leaving no one behind,” Jaishankar stated, “Many countries get left behind due to circumstances beyond their control, but some make conscious choices with disastrous consequences,” specifically naming Pakistan. He suggested that Pakistan could measure its GDP in terms of radicalization and assess its exports in terms of terrorism, adding, “Today, we see the ills it sought to visit on others consume its own society. It can’t blame the world. This is only karma.”
Jaishankar criticized Pakistan’s claims during its Right of Reply, labeling them as “bizarre,” and emphasized that terrorism would have consequences. He reiterated that the core issue between the two countries is Pakistan’s illegal occupation of Indian territory and its longstanding association with terrorism.
The minister also addressed the importance of sanctioning terrorists at the United Nations without political hindrances, implicitly referring to China, which has historically blocked the designation of Pakistan-based terrorists in UN committees. He pointed out that while some countries may be left behind due to external circumstances, others, like Pakistan, face repercussions due to their own choices.
Historically, India has typically allowed junior diplomats to respond to high-level Pakistani leadership at the UN, but this year marked a shift, with Jaishankar delivering a more direct and elevated response to Sharif’s remarks. Earlier on Friday, India exercised its Right of Reply, accusing Pakistan of having its “fingerprints” on terrorist incidents globally and warning that cross-border terrorism against India would “inevitably invite consequences.”
