'Epicentre of terrorism': Jaishankar tears into Pakistan at UNGA, says Pahalgam perpetrators 'brought to justice'

“Terror hubs on industrial scale”: Jaishankar slams Pakistan in UNGA speech

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday, without naming Pakistan, delivered a sharp rebuke to the country, calling it “the epicentre of terrorism.” Stressing that countering terrorism remains a global priority, he said India has faced this threat since Independence, with “major international terrorist attacks traceable to that one country” for decades.

"Countering terrorism is a particular priority because it synthesizes bigotry, violence, tolerance and fear. India has confronted this challenge since Independence, having a neighbour that is the epicentre of terrorism. For decades now, major international terrorist attacks trace back to that one country. UN’s designated list of terrorists are replete with its nationals. The most recent example of cross-border barbarism was the murder of innocent tourists in Pahalgam in April this year," said Jaishankar in his speech at the UN General Assemly.

Referring to the April Pahalgam attack, where 26 innocent tourists were killed, Jaishankar said it exemplified “cross-border barbarism.” He asserted that India has exercised its right to defend its people and “brought organisers and perpetrators to justice,” referring to Operation Sindoor.

Urging deeper international cooperation, he warned that terrorism “synthesizes bigotry, violence, intolerance, and fear” and must be fought collectively.

"When nations openly declare terrorism as state policy, when terror hubs operate on industrial scale, when terrorists are publicly glorified, the such actions must be unequivocally condemned. The financing of terrorism must be choked even as prominent terrorists are sanctioned. Relentless pressure must be applied on the entire terrorism ecosystem," Jaishankar said.

On Friday, exercising its right of reply at the UNGA, India tore into Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s address, dismantling Islamabad’s narrative on peace, faith, and terrorism.

India swiftly dismissed Sharif’s speech as a spectacle that glorified terror instead of addressing global concerns.

“Mr President, 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,” said Petal Gahlot, First Secretary at India’s Permanent Mission to the UN.

Earlier on Friday, Sharif tried to paint his country as a victim of “external aggression” while boasting of what he called a “bloody nose” delivered to India. In a speech heavy on self-praise but light on facts, Sharif claimed Pakistan had repelled an unprovoked Indian attack and shot down seven Indian fighter jets -- assertions that remain completely unverified and dismissed by Indian officials as propaganda.