‘That country…’: How Jaishankar’s sly dismissal of Pakistan at UNGA overshadowed Shehbaz’s rant

India's External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar speaking at the UN General Assembly.

Pakistan may have arrived at the UN General Assembly with a familiar victimhood script, but it was India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar who stole the show. Without naming Pakistan, he coolly labelled it “the epicentre of terrorism” and reminded the world that “major international terror attacks trace back to that one country.”

Speaking at the 80th UN General Assembly session, Jaishankar used the phrase “that country” and focused on concrete examples, turning a routine statement into a pointed rebuke.

Jaishankar cited the April Pahalgam massacre of 26 tourists as “cross-border barbarism” and linked it to Operation Sindoor, India’s retaliatory action against terror infrastructure in Pakistan. He stressed that India “brought organisers and perpetrators to justice” and warned that terrorism “synthesizes bigotry, violence, intolerance and fear” and must be fought collectively.

He also underlined how UN lists of designated terrorists are “replete with its nationals,” a swipe at Pakistan’s record of harbouring internationally sanctioned terrorists.

Amid applaud from the assembly, Jaishankar went further, urging the world to act against states that treat terrorism as policy, operate terror hubs on an “industrial scale” and glorify terrorists publicly. Financing must be choked, he said, and relentless pressure applied to the entire “terrorism ecosystem.” The remarks were widely seen as a call for a tougher international approach to Pakistan.

India’s delegation followed up on Friday by tearing apart Sharif’s claims in its right of reply. First Secretary Petal Gahlot told the assembly it had witnessed “absurd theatrics” from Pakistan’s leader, who once again glorified terrorism rather than addressing global concerns.

India called out Pakistan’s doublespeak -- preaching peace abroad while nurturing terror at home. “The Pakistani Prime Minister has spoken about wanting peace with India. If he is indeed sincere, the pathway is clear. Pakistan must immediately shut down all terrorist camps and hand over to us the terrorists wanted in India.”

Gahlot's rebuke came hours after Shehbaz tried to play the usual victim card, calling Pakistan a victim of “external aggression” while boasting of what he called a “bloody nose” delivered to India.  He accused India of politicising the Pahalgam terror incident, while rejecting Islamabad’s offer for an “independent probe”.

The contrast was stark. While Pakistan repeated tired propaganda, India calmly exposed its duplicity and highlighted its own decisive actions. In New York, “that country” found itself isolated once again, its narrative rejected and its credibility shredded.