Jaishankar criticises Pakistan at UNGA

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar criticised Pakistan at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Saturday, accusing it of seeking to normalise terrorism and escape accountability for its consequences.

Without naming Pakistan or Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Jaishankar referred to a “serial practitioner of terrorism” who, he said, had presented a distorted version of events at the UN a day earlier. He said attempts to normalise terrorism or claim immunity from its consequences would not be accepted.

Jaishankar said India would exercise its right to defend itself against terrorism, arguing that goodwill and efforts to combat terrorism could not coexist with support for those involved in it. He also called for governments that support cross-border terrorism to be held accountable and urged stronger action against terrorist financing.

His remarks followed Sharif’s address to the 81st UN General Assembly on Friday, in which the Pakistani prime minister raised the Kashmir issue and criticised India’s 2025 Operation Sindoor. Sharif also credited US President Donald Trump with “timely intervention” in helping end the four-day India-Pakistan military confrontation in May 2025.

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, following the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 people. New Delhi said the operation targeted militant infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Pakistan denied involvement in the Pahalgam attack.

India has also rejected Trump’s repeated claims of mediating an end to the 2025 hostilities, saying the cessation of military action followed direct communication between the two countries’ military officials.