Safia Ramzan
Pakistan has strongly rejected Indian allegations at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), branding New Delhi a “regional bully” and a destabilising force in South Asia. Responding to Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar’s remarks, Pakistan’s Second Secretary to the UN, Muhammad Rashid, mounted a firm rebuttal that underscored Islamabad’s sacrifices, commitments, and principled stance on regional peace.
Rashid reminded the international community that Pakistan has sacrificed more than 90,000 lives in its fight against terrorism, a toll unmatched in the region. “We are one of the strongest pillars in global efforts to combat terrorism,” he asserted, echoing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s earlier remarks at the same forum. Far from being an enabler of militancy, Pakistan has borne the heaviest human and economic costs in the international war on terror.
India, he argued, has consistently sought to divert global attention from its internal repression in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir by hurling accusations against Pakistan. Rashid categorically rejected these claims, calling them baseless, irresponsible, and an attempt to scapegoat Pakistan for New Delhi’s domestic and regional failures. He further alleged that credible reports point to Indian intelligence agencies sponsoring armed groups beyond its borders. “This country is not just a serial perpetrator of terrorism,” he said, “it is a regional bully, a net destabiliser holding South Asia hostage to its hegemonic designs and radical ideology.”
Pakistan also took issue with the Indian delegation’s resort to mocking slurs, calling such rhetoric immature and irresponsible. Rashid noted that India’s cheap language only diminishes its global credibility and reveals its inability to present substantive arguments before the world.
The strong reply built upon Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s earlier UNGA address, in which he emphasised Pakistan’s readiness to defend itself and its desire to win peace. Referring to what he called an “unprovoked Indian assault” repulsed earlier this year, Sharif praised Pakistan’s armed forces for their professional and valiant response. “We have won the war, and now we seek to win peace,” he told world leaders, offering what he described as a sincere proposal for stability in South Asia.
For decades, Kashmir has remained the core dispute poisoning Pakistan-India relations. Pakistan has repeatedly called for a peaceful settlement based on UN Security Council resolutions and the will of the Kashmiri people. India, however, has escalated its repression, especially since August 2019, when it revoked the limited autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir. Kashmiris today live under severe restrictions, demographic changes, and widespread human rights violations. By branding Pakistan as a sponsor of terrorism, India attempts to delegitimise the Kashmiri freedom struggle, conflating it with militancy rather than recognising it as a genuine demand for self-determination.
Pakistan’s response at the UNGA also sought to expose India’s broader regional conduct. Beyond Kashmir, Islamabad accused New Delhi of undermining neighbouring states, from Balochistan to Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, through covert intelligence networks. India’s obstruction of SAARC, its arms build-up against China, and its aggressive economic diplomacy were cited as examples of hegemonic behaviour inconsistent with peace. Rashid’s charge that India is a “net destabiliser” captured Pakistan’s perspective that New Delhi thrives on confrontation rather than cooperation.
At the same time, Pakistan reaffirmed its record as a frontline partner in global counterterrorism. From dismantling terrorist networks through military operations to strengthening legislation under FATF scrutiny, Pakistan has demonstrated both will and capacity. The costs—over $150 billion in economic losses and 90,000 lives lost—highlight its sacrifices. Yet, despite these realities, India persists in maligning Pakistan to mask its own failures in curbing rising extremism within its borders, particularly the rise of Hindutva-driven militancy and persecution of minorities.
The exchanges at the UNGA underscored the grave risks of hostility between two nuclear-armed neighbours. The absence of dialogue, coupled with India’s aggressive policies, threatens not only South Asian stability but also global security. Pakistan reiterated its stance that peace requires dialogue, but dialogue must be meaningful and must address the root cause of conflict—Kashmir. Without this, peace in the region will remain elusive.
In rejecting Indian allegations and exposing New Delhi’s bullying posture, Pakistan also reaffirmed its own peaceful vision. Islamabad’s message was clear: it will continue to defend its sovereignty, uphold the rights of Kashmiris, and advocate for stability in South Asia. India, by contrast, relies on propaganda, suppression, and unilateralism. The world, Pakistan argued, must take note. For South Asia to prosper, global powers must engage fairly, restrain India’s destabilising ambitions, and support a just settlement of the Kashmir conflict. Only then can the promise of peace in the region be realised.
