Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
India on Saturday strongly responded to Pakistan at the UN General Assembly, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar saying attempts to “normalise terrorism, and claim immunity from its consequences” would not succeed. In his address to the General Debate at the high-level 81st session of the UN General Assembly, Jaishankar said India would exercise its right to defend itself against terrorism.
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His remarks came a day after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif used the UN General Assembly podium to speak about the 2025 conflict with India and raise the Kashmir issue. Sharif also credited US President Donald Trump for what he called his “timely intervention” during the conflict.
Without naming Pakistan directly, Jaishankar said, “Yesterday, a serial practitioner of terrorism misrepresented facts before this Assembly.” He said arguments had been invoked to “normalise terrorism, and claim immunity from its consequences” and added, “That will not stand.”
Jaishankar told world leaders that terrorism remained a persistent threat to peace. “That this could be state-sponsored, with a cross-border purpose, makes it a direct affront to the global order,” he said. He added that governments engaging in such practices must be held accountable. “There must be no dilution in our zero-tolerance approach towards terrorism. Its financial aspects, in particular, should be exposed and should be countered,” he said.
Asserting India’s position, Jaishankar said, “Our right to defend ourselves against terrorism will be exercised.” He also said that “friendship and goodwill cannot co-exist with terrorism” and added that “understandings premised on that will naturally be called into question. It is for the perpetrator of terrorism to mend its ways.”
In his address on Friday, Sharif had said that to ensure South Asia does not again reach “that precipice of the conflict of 2025”, a “just and fair solution” to the Kashmir issue was needed. India’s response at the UN made clear its rejection of Pakistan’s remarks and its insistence on accountability and a zero-tolerance approach towards terrorism.
With PTI Inputs
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
