Pakistan says India peddling disinformation, state terrorism

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, while alluding to India, charged it with orchestrating state terrorism, disseminating disinformation and propaganda, and fostering hatred through fabricated narratives to further its narrow foreign policy objectives.

Counsellor Muhammad Jawad Ajmal, speaking at the United Nations in New York while exercising Pakistan’s right of reply during a debate on Agenda Item 109: “Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism,” responded to what he called baseless remarks by the Indian delegate. “We heard remarks in the context of Pahalgam made earlier. As a responsible member of the international community and an elected non-permanent member of the Security Council, Pakistan joined fellow Council members in unequivocally condemning this attack,” he said. “Pakistan also offered an independent and credible investigation. We are yet to see evidence of the perpetrators of this attack, details of which remain unknown.”

Ajmal highlighted that Pakistan’s offer was rejected, followed by an attack on its sovereignty that resulted in the deaths of 54 innocent Pakistani civilians, including 15 children and 13 women, in a blatant act of aggression. “This behaviour sets a dangerous precedent, providing a template for states that seek to intimidate their neighbours. The global community cannot afford to ignore such errant and rogue behaviour,” he asserted. He emphasised that this act of aggression and violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty was met with a proportionate response, exercising Pakistan’s right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter. The response was mature, minutely calibrated, and restrained, resulting in Pakistan’s resounding success in thwarting the threat, culminating in a ceasefire brokered through the good offices of the United States at New Delhi’s request.

Earlier, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, Pakistan’s deputy permanent representative to the UN, speaking on the same agenda item, condemned Israel’s aggression and provocations across the Middle East and its genocidal war in Gaza, which has claimed over 66,000 innocent Palestinian lives. “Israel must be held accountable for its flagrant and systemic violations of international law, including foreign occupation, state terrorism, targeting of civilians and children, racist laws, and settler-colonial policies that are steadily encroaching on occupied Palestinian territory,” he stated.

“We must clearly distinguish between terrorism and the legitimate struggle of peoples against foreign occupation and for their inalienable right to self-determination,” he said. “Pakistan condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We have led the fight against terrorism for over two decades, suffering over 90,000 casualties—our brave soldiers and civilians, including schoolchildren.”

Jadoon noted that Pakistan continues to endure state-sponsored terrorism from across its borders, including attacks by the TTP, Fitna al Khawarij, Daesh, BLA, and Majeed Brigade targeting innocent civilians and children. “Pakistan has the will, determination, and capability to defeat this externally sponsored terrorism, which is actively aided, abetted, and financed by a neighbour—an aggressor that, ironically, also likes to play the victim,” he added, referencing ongoing daily attacks from neighbouring Afghanistan.