UNITED NATIONS, Sep 27: India has strongly rejected Pakistan’s claims at the United Nations, asserting that Islamabad’s military had “pleaded” for cessation of hostilities during Operation Sindoor and reiterating that no third party has any role in issues between the two neighbours.
The sharp response came from Petal Gahlot, First Secretary in India’s Permanent Mission to the UN, who on Friday exercised India’s Right of Reply at the General Debate of the 80th UN General Assembly (UNGA). Her remarks followed Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s address in which he credited former US President Donald Trump with preventing a war in South Asia.
“This Assembly witnessed absurd theatrics in the morning from the prime minister of Pakistan, who once again glorified terrorism that is so central to their foreign policy,” Gahlot said.
Sharif had told the Assembly that Pakistan was open to a “composite, comprehensive and result-oriented” dialogue with India on all outstanding issues, while attacking New Delhi’s policies in Jammu and Kashmir. He further lauded Trump, stating his efforts “helped avert a war in South Asia” and disclosed that Pakistan had nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize.
“In recognition of President Trump’s wonderful and outstanding contribution to promote peace in our part of the world, Pakistan nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize. This is the least we could do… I think he truly is a man of peace,” Sharif said.
India, however, underscored that Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
New Delhi emphasized that the eventual understanding to halt hostilities was reached solely through direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMO) of India and Pakistan, dismissing claims of third-party mediation. (Agencies)
