Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif used the global stage of the United National General Assembly for an opportunity to credit US President Donald Trump with facilitating the ceasefire between India and Pakistan.
India sharply rebutted Sharif, accusing Islamabad of “spreading falsehoods on the world stage” and reiterated that no third party was involved in the ceasefire with Pakistan after Operation Sindoor in May this year, while adding that Pakistan pleaded for a ceasefire.
Petal Gahlot, First Secretary at India’s UN Mission, said that Pakistan’s military “pleaded” with India to halt fighting and that there was no scope for any third party to intervene in matters between New Delhi and Islamabad.
Gahlot said, “India and Pakistan have long agreed that any outstanding issue between them will be addressed bilaterally. There is no room for any third party in that regard. This is our longstanding national position.”
Ripping apart Sharif’s claims that Pakistan won the war against India, she said that for Pakistan’s Prime Minister, devastated air force bases must be a sign of victory and he can “enjoy” it.
“If destroyed runways and burnt-out hangars look like victory, as the Prime Minister claimed, Pakistan is welcome to enjoy it,” Petal Gahlot said at the General Assembly, ridiculing Sharif’s claim, “We have won the war.”
Exercising the right of reply to his “absurd theatrics” during his speech in the morning, she tore apart his claims about the war and the accusations he flung against India, while declaring India’s zero tolerance for terrorism.
“Where terrorism is concerned, we are making it clear that there will be no distinction between the terrorists and their sponsors,” she said. “Both will be held accountable.”
“Nor will we allow terrorism to be practised under the cover of nuclear blackmail. India will never bow to such threats.”
She declared, “India’s message to the world is clear: there must be zero tolerance for terrorism.”
She said that terrorism is “central” to Pakistan’s foreign policy and that recent events again showed that Islamabad glorifies terrorism and sponsors and protects terrorists.
“No degree of drama and no level of lies can conceal the facts,” she said. Pakistan “again glorified terrorism that is so central to their foreign policy.”
Pakistan and US’ relations warmed briefly after Sharif publicly endorsed the American leader for a Nobel Peace Prize for his administration’s efforts this year at stalling tensions between Pakistan and India in May post Operation Sindoor.
Meanwhile, the US and Pakistan reached a trade agreement in July that is likely to allow Washington to help develop Pakistan’s largely untapped oil reserves and lower tariffs for Islamabad.
As US ties with Pakistan improved, Washington’s relationship with India strained, as Trump dramatically imposed tariffs on India for its Russian oil purchases in an effort to put indirect economic pressure on Moscow.
Shortly after Trump’s social media post announcing a ceasefire between India and Pakistan in May, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held a press conference and said that the two sides agreed to halt strikes only after Pakistan reached out to India requesting the same.
Meanwhile, President Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for the India-Pakistan truce, as well as for easing tensions in other regions, while eyeing a Nobel Peace Prize.