India has issued a stern warning to Pakistan, declaring that continued cross-border terrorism will inevitably result in consequences.
The message was delivered by Bhavika Mangalanandan, First Secretary at India’s United Nations mission, in response to Pakistan Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif’s accusations against India during the General Assembly’s high-level meeting.
Mangalanandan, while exercising India’s right of reply on Friday, criticized Pakistan’s military-run government, stating that its involvement in terrorism undermines any possibility of agreements between the two nations.
Key Takeaways
She firmly stated, “Pakistan should realize that cross-border terrorism against India will inevitably invite consequences,” adding that Pakistan, known for its global reputation tied to terrorism and transnational crime, lacks the standing to criticize India.
Sharif had earlier claimed that India rejected his offer for a mutual Strategic Restraint Regime, to which Mangalanandan responded, “There can be no compact with terrorism.”
She highlighted Pakistan’s long history of using terrorism as a tool against its neighbours, including attacks on India’s Parliament, financial capital Mumbai, and various public spaces.
“The world can see for itself what Pakistan really is,” she said. “We are talking about a nation that for long hosted (al-Qaeda terrorist organization’s leader) 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.”
Mangalanandan, who specializes in counter-terrorism at the UN, also criticized Pakistan for its hypocrisy, stating, “For such a country to speak about violence anywhere is hypocrisy at its worst.”
She further asserted, “It is even more extraordinary for a country with a history of rigged elections to talk about political choices that too in a democracy.”
She further referenced Pakistan’s involvement in the 1971 genocide during Bangladesh’s War of Independence, calling it another example of hypocrisy from a nation that continues to oppress its own minorities.
Responding to accusations made by Sharif regarding Islamophobia in India, Mangalanandan dismissed the claims as baseless.
She stated, “Yet we must make clear how unacceptable his words are to all of us. We know that Pakistan will seek to counter the truth with more lies. Repetition will change nothing. Our stand is clear and needs no reiteration.”
Pak Diplomat Denies 1971 Genocide Role; Accuses India Of Killings In Canada & US
In response, Muhammad Faheem, a Third Secretary from Pakistan, echoed Sharif’s earlier statements, denying Pakistan’s role in the 1971 genocide and accusing India of involvement in alleged killings in Canada and the US.
However, India remained firm in its stance, emphasizing that Pakistan’s continued involvement in terrorism would not go unanswered.
The exchange at the UN reflects the ongoing tensions between the two nations, with cross-border terrorism at the forefront of India’s concerns, and Pakistan’s continued denials adding fuel to the diplomatic conflict.
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