🇮🇳India · UNGA 81 speech

Thank you, Mr. President. This afternoon, the General Assembly heard some bizarre remarks from the representative of Pakistan. This happens just a fortnight after New York City and the world marked the 25th anniversary of the horrendous 9/11 terrorist attack. This context, Mr. President, is important to keep in mind because its mastermind, Osama bin Laden, was living right on the doorstep of Pakistani Army's premier academy. And this was the very entity which was the subject of such deep genuflection before us today by the representative of Pakistan. But all this is only to be expected from what Pakistanis themselves call a Form 47 government. We heard some hypocritical homilies about democratic rights and human values from a regime whose capital at this very moment is being fortified against its own people. And that, Mr. President, is happening because this is a regime of the army, by the army, and for the army. Their puppets may come and go. But let us have no illusion who calls the shots. The reality of Pakistan is expressed in its 27th amendment and the lifelong immunity granted to its real ruler. Mr. President, the views we heard emanate from those with a long record of bigotry and hatred. They claim to uphold security during the day, they actually carry out terrorism at night. This Assembly was subjected to remarks about religious intolerance from the very regime whose mainstay is blasphemy laws. The world knows how minorities are treated in Pakistan. No pious platitude can mislead it. References were made to the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. This is an integral and inalienable part of my country and will always remain so. But if we must talk about Kashmir, let us turn our attention to the Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Ask the people of Rawalpindi about the wanton killings, the brutal violence, and the denial of basic rights that they have long experienced. At the heart of the issue, Mr. President, is the longstanding practice of cross-border terrorism by Pakistan. We demonstrated last year that terrorists will have nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Our right to defend ourselves against terrorism will be exercised, and continued terrorism by Pakistan will have consequences. It will understandably call into question what were premised on friendship and goodwill. We are confident that this Assembly will recognize Pakistan and its policies for what they really are. not what its representative mendaciously projects it to be. Reiterating falsehoods year after year does not make them true. Pakistan's terrorism, deceit, and duplicity will neither benefit it nor the world. I thank you, Mr. President.