In a sharp rebuttal to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s speech at the United Nations General assembly, New Delhi has made it clear to the neighbouring country that cross-border terrorism against India will inevitably invite consequences.

”Pakistan has long employed cross-border terrorism as a weapon against its neighbours. It has attacked our Parliament, our financial capital Mumbai, market places and pilgrimage routes. The list is long. For such a country to speak about violence anywhere is hypocrisy at its worst,” India diplomat Bhavika Mangalanandan said as India exercised its ‘Right of Reply’ to the comments made by Mr Sharif in his speech.

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Noting that the UNGA witnessed a travesty when Mr Sharif addressed the world body, she said it is surprising that a country, run by the military, with a global reputation for terrorism, narcotics trade and transnational crime has had the audacity to attack the world’s largest democracy.

Ms Mangalanandan, First Secretary at the Permanent Mission of India to the UN, said it is even more extraordinary for a country with a history of rigged elections to talk about political choices, that too in a democracy. ”The real truth is that Pakistan covets our territory. And in fact, has continuously used terrorism to disrupt elections in Jammu and Kashmir, an inalienable and integral part of India,” she added.

Noting that a reference was made to some proposal of strategic restraint by Mr Sharif, she said there can be no compact with terrorism. ” It is ridiculous that a nation that committed genocide in 1971 and which persecutes its minorities relentlessly even now dare speak about intolerance and phobias. The world can see for itself what Pakistan really is,” she added.

The Indian diplomat said Pakistan had for long hosted global terrorist Osama Bin Laden and said it is a country whose fingerprints are on so many terrorist incidents across the world.

Earlier Mr Sharif, in his speech, said India should reverse the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and enter into a dialogue with Pakistan for “peaceful” resolution of the Kashmir issue.

“Let me state in no uncertain terms, Pakistan will respond most decisively to any Indian aggression, therefore, to secure durable peace, India must reverse the unilateral and illegal measures it has taken since 5th of August 2019 and enter into a dialogue for a peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people,” he claimed.

Mr Sharif claimed that India was “engaged in massive expansion of its military capabilities,” which are essentially deployed against Pakistan.

“It (India) has engaged in massive expansion of its military capabilities, which are essentially deployed against Pakistan. Its war doctrines envisage a surprise attack and a limited war under the nuclear overhang. Thoughtlessly, India spurned Pakistan’s proposals for a mutual strategic restraint to the regime. Its leadership has often threatened to cross the line of control and take over Azad Kashmir,” he said.

The Pakistani leader said, “Instead of moving towards peace, India has resiled from its commitments to implement the Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir. These resolutions mandate the people of Jammu and Kashmir to exercise their fundamental right to self-determination. Since 5th August 2019, India has initiated unilateral illegal steps to impose what its leaders honestly call a final solution for Jammu and Kashmir.”