In a strong speech at the United Nations General Assembly, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar called Pakistan a “rogue state” on Monday. He accused Pakistan of supporting terrorism and creating instability in the region. His sharp remarks came after Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif allegedly made comments admitting Pakistan’s links to cross-border terrorism, including the recent Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 26 civilians.
Jaishankar referred to Asif’s reported comments, widely shared on X and quoted by India Today, where Asif supposedly accepted that parts of Pakistan’s government are connected to militant groups attacking India. “When a country’s own leaders admit to growing terrorism, they lose their right to be trusted,” Jaishankar said. He urged the UN to label Pakistan as a state sponsor of terrorism, citing the Pahalgam attack by The Resistance Front (TRF), linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, as proof of Pakistan’s bad intentions.
Jaishankar also listed other issues: Pakistan’s five nights of ceasefire violations along the LoC, suspension of the Shimla Agreement, and its role in stirring trouble in Kashmir. He criticized Pakistan’s move to suspend Indus Waters Treaty talks, calling it “economic warfare,” and said India would respond strongly and appropriately.
Pakistan’s UN envoy, Munir Akram, quickly rejected India’s charges, calling them “baseless propaganda”. He accused India of staging the Pahalgam attack as a “false flag” operation to create an excuse for military action. Akram defended Pakistan, mentioning its high military spending (Rs. 4.5 trillion or 5.6% of GDP for 2024-25) and the army’s strong role in politics.
The UN meeting showed clear divisions. China and Turkey supported Pakistan’s demand for an independent investigation into the Pahalgam attack, while the U.S. and EU called for peace and de-escalation. UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged both countries to solve their issues through talks, warning that a conflict between nuclear powers would be “disastrous.”
Meanwhile, Pakistan denied Asif’s remarks, saying his comments were twisted by Indian media. However, some Pakistani users on X, including retired army officer Adil Raja, criticized Pakistan’s leadership and demanded accountability.
The debate at the UN has made tensions even worse. India has strengthened its military presence along the LoC, and Pakistan has warned that it would give a “full-spectrum response” to any Indian attack. As ceasefire violations continue and diplomatic efforts weaken, the world is rushing to stop the situation from turning into a full-scale war.
