New York: India hit back hard at Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the United Nations General Assembly, accusing Islamabad of glorifying terrorism and spinning false narratives about India-Pakistan conflicts.
In a forceful rebuttal, Petal Gahlot, First Secretary at India’s Permanent Mission to the UN, called Sharif’s speech “absurd theatrics” aimed at justifying terrorism. “This Assembly witnessed yet another attempt by Pakistan to glorify terrorism—a core feature of their foreign policy,” she said.
Gahlot highlighted Pakistan’s long record of sheltering terrorists, citing The Resistance Front (TRF), responsible for the brutal Pahalgam killings of 26 civilians, and recalling that Osama bin Laden had been hiding in Abbottabad, Pakistan, until 2011.
#WATCH | New York | Exercising the right of reply of India on Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif’s speech, Indian diplomat Petal Gahlot says, “Mr President, this assembly witnessed absurd theatrics in the morning from the Prime Minister of Pakistan, who once again glorified terrorism… pic.twitter.com/ALR2AnDoA9
— ANI (@ANI) September 27, 2025
She reaffirmed India’s right to self-defense and detailed Operation Sindoor, which struck terror hideouts in Bahawalpur and Muridke. “Pakistan’s senior military and civilian officials openly honor terrorists. India will never distinguish between terrorists and those who sponsor them,” Gahlot warned.
Rejecting Sharif’s claims of “Indian aggression,” she called them “bizarre and misleading” and noted that Pakistan’s military had itself sought a ceasefire during Operation Sindoor. “There is no room for third-party intervention in matters between New Delhi and Islamabad,” she said, adding that India will never bow to nuclear blackmail.
Sharif’s Claims at UNGA
Earlier, Sharif accused India of unprovoked attacks and claimed Pakistan shot down Indian aircraft—a claim New Delhi dismissed. He praised former US President Donald Trump for helping secure a ceasefire and called for “comprehensive dialogue” with India, while warning that Kashmir and water disputes remain sensitive.
Sharif also criticized India for suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and reiterated Pakistan’s support for Kashmiris, calling for a UN-supervised plebiscite.
