External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said Pakistan’s cross-border terrorism policy will never succeed, saying that ‘actions will certainly have consequences’.

He said the issue to be resolved between both the countries is now only the vacation of illegally occupied Indian territory by Pakistan, and of course the abandonment of Pakistan’s longstanding attachment to terrorism.

The External Affairs Minister said terrorism is antithetical to everything that the world stands for, and all its forms and manifestations must be resolutely opposed.

“The sanctioning of global terrorists by the United Nations should also not be impeded for political reasons,” Jaishankar said in his address at the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in New York last night.

“Many countries get left behind due to circumstances beyond their control. But some make conscious choices with disastrous consequences. A premier example is our neighbour, Pakistan. Unfortunately, their (Pakistan) misdeeds affect others as well, especially the neighbourhood,” the External Affairs Minister said.

“Today, we see the ills it (Pakistan) sought to visit on others consume its own society. It can’t blame the world; this is only karma,” Jaishankar said.

“A dysfunctional nation coveting the lands of others must be exposed and must be countered,” he said.

“Pakistan’s cross-border terrorism policy will never succeed. And it can have no expectation of impunity. On the contrary, actions will certainly have consequences,” Jaishankar said.

In his address, the External Affairs Minister said, “We are gathered here at a difficult time. The world is yet to recover from the ravages of the Covid pandemic. A war in Ukraine is well into its third year. The conflict in Gaza is acquiring wider ramifications.”

“Across the Global South, development plans have gone off rails and SDG targets are receding. But there is more. Unfair trade practices threaten jobs, just as unviable projects raise debt levels. Any connectivity that flouts sovereignty and territorial integrity acquires strategic connotations. Especially when it is not a shared endeavour,” he said.

Jaishankar said technology advancements, which have long been a source of hope, are now equally a factor of anxiety. Climate events occur with greater intensity and frequency, he said.

“Food security is as worrisome as health security,” the External Affairs Minister said.