In its Right to Reply on Friday, India sternly responded to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over his statement on Kashmir at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Indian diplomat Bhavika Mangalanandan said, “This assembly regrettably witnessed a travesty this morning. I speak about the reference to India in the speech of the Pakistani PM. As the world knows, Pakistan has long employed cross-border terrorism as a weapon against its neighbours. It has attacked our parliament, our financial capital, Mumbai, marketplaces and pilgrimage roots. The list is long. For such a country to speak about violence anywhere is hypocrisy at its worst. It is even more extraordinary for a country with a history of rigged elections to talk about political choices that, too, in a democracy.”
#WATCH | At UNGA Indian diplomat Bhavika Mangalanandan replies to Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif, says, “This assembly regrettably witnessed a travesty this morning. A country run by the military, with a global reputation for terrorism, narcotics, trade and transnational crime has… pic.twitter.com/ZpHxE6a5Py
— ANI (@ANI) September 28, 2024
India accused Pakistan of using terrorism to disrupt elections in Jammu and Kashmir. “…The real truth is that Pakistan covets our territory and, in fact, has continuously used terrorism to disrupt elections in Jammu and Kashmir, an inalienable and integral part of India,” Bhavika Mangalanandan added.
Speaking at the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged India to reverse the decision to revoke Article 370 to achieve lasting peace.
In his 20-minute speech, Sharif spoke on Kashmir and Hizbul terrorist Burhan Wani.
“India’s policy of brutal coersion and oppression, in occupied Kashmir has ensured, that Burhan Wani’s legacy, continues to inspire, the struggle and sacrifices, of millions of Kashmiris. Inspired by the legitimacy of their epic struggle, they remain defiant,” Shehbaz Sharif also wrote on social media platform X.
India’s policy of brutal coersion and oppression, in occupied Kashmir has ensured, that Burhan Wani’s legacy, continues to inspire, the struggle and sacrifices, of millions of Kashmiris.
Inspired by the legitimacy, of their epic struggle, they remain defiant. #UNGA79 pic.twitter.com/SjfFBVR1ev— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) September 27, 2024
PM Sharif compared the situation of the people of Jammu and Kasmir to that of Palestine.“Similarly, like the people of Palestine, the people of Jammu and Kashmir too, have struggled for a century for their freedom and right to self-determination”.
Mangalanandan added that Pakistan, which committed genocide in 1971, speaks about intolerance and phobias. “It is ridiculous that a nation that committed genocide in 1971 and which persecuted its minorities relentlessly even now, dare speak about intolerances and phobias. The world can see for itself what Pakistan really is. We are talking about a nation that for long hosted Osama bin Laden. A country whose fingerprints are on so many terrorist incidents across the world, whose policies attract the dregs of many societies to make it their home,” she added.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is scheduled to speak at the UN General Assembly on Saturday night.
