India tears into Pakistan at UN, accusing Islamabad of terror, deceit & ‘regime of the army'

India launched a sharp attack on Pakistan at the United Nations General Assembly, accusing Islamabad of using terrorism, deceit and duplicity to pursue its interests and describing the country as a regime “of the army, by the army, and for the army”.

India's response came during its Right of Reply after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressed the UN General Assembly.

First Secretary at India's Permanent Mission to the UN Petal Gahlot said there should be no doubt about who exercises real power in Pakistan.


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“We heard some hypocritical homilies about democratic rights and human values from a regime whose capital at this very moment is being fortified against its own people. And that, Mr President, is happening because this is a regime of the army, by the army, and for the army,” Gahlot said.

“Their puppets may come and go, but let us have no illusion about who calls the shots,” she added.

Gahlot also referred to the presence of Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, close to the Pakistani Army's premier academy, while responding to what she described as “bizarre remarks” by Pakistan's representative.

“This happens just a fortnight after New York City and the world marked the 25th anniversary of the horrendous 9-11 terrorist attack. This context is important to keep in mind because its mastermind, Osama bin Laden, was living right on the doorstep of the Pakistani Army's premier academy,” she said.

The Indian diplomat also hit out at Pakistan over its record on religious intolerance and human rights, arguing that its treatment of minorities was at odds with the positions it projected at the UN.

“The views we heard emanate from those with a long record of bigotry and hatred. They claim to uphold security during the day; they actually carry out terrorism at night,” Gahlot said.

“This Assembly was subjected to remarks about religious intolerance from the very regime whose mainstay is blasphemy laws. The world knows how minorities are treated in Pakistan. No pious platitude can mislead it,” she added.

India reiterates position on Kashmir

Responding to Sharif's references to Jammu and Kashmir, Gahlot reiterated India's position that the Union Territory is an integral and inalienable part of the country.

“This is an integral and inalienable part of my country and will always remain so,” she said.

She also turned Pakistan's references to Kashmir back on Islamabad, urging the international community to examine the situation in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

“But if we must talk about Kashmir, let us turn our attention to the Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Ask the people of Rawalkot about the wanton killings, the brutal violence and the denial of basic rights that they have long experienced,” she said.

India warns terrorism will have consequences

Gahlot accused Pakistan of pursuing a long-standing policy of cross-border terrorism and said India would continue to exercise its right to defend itself against such attacks.

“At the heart of the issue is the long-standing practice of cross-border terrorism by Pakistan,” she said.

“We demonstrated last year that terrorists will have nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Our right to defend ourselves against terrorism will be exercised and continued. Terrorism by Pakistan will have consequences,” she added.

Gahlot said India expected the UN General Assembly to see through what it described as Pakistan's misleading portrayal of events.

“Reiterating falsehoods year after year does not make them true. Pakistan's terrorism, deceit and duplicity will neither benefit it nor the world,” she said.

What Shehbaz Sharif said at UNGA

Gahlot's response followed Sharif's address to the UN General Assembly, during which the Pakistan prime minister raised the Kashmir issue and credited US President Donald Trump with a “timely intervention” during the 2025 India-Pakistan conflict.

Sharif said Trump's intervention had saved hundreds of millions of lives in South Asia. India has consistently rejected claims of third-party intervention in the conflict.

The Pakistan prime minister also called for a “just and fair solution” to the Kashmir issue, saying this was necessary to prevent South Asia from again reaching the brink of conflict.

Sharif also referred to the Indus Waters Treaty and Pakistan's efforts to facilitate talks between Washington and Tehran amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

During his address, Sharif repeatedly praised Pakistan's Chief of Defence Forces and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, crediting his “relentless efforts” with helping create space for diplomacy under difficult circumstances.