Audacious attack on largest democracy: India slams K-rant

India has slammed Pakistan in the UN General Assembly, saying a nation run by the military, with a global reputation for terrorism, had the audacity to attack the world’s largest democracy.

India exercised its ‘right of reply’ today in response to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif raising the issue of Jammu and Kashmir in his address at the general debate of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.

“This assembly regrettably witnessed a travesty... 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,” said Bhavika Mangalanandan, First Secretary in India’s Permanent Mission to the UN.

To a specific point by Sharif, who had suggested a mutual strategic restraint regime, the Indian diplomat said: “In fact, Pakistan should realise that cross-border terrorism against India will inevitably invite consequences.”

Raising the Kashmir issue, Sharif had said to “secure durable peace”, India should reverse the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution and enter into a dialogue for a peaceful resolution of the issue. He said India spurned Pakistan’s proposals for a mutual “strategic restraint regime”.

“The world knows Pakistan has long employed cross-border terrorism as a weapon against its neighbours,” she said.

“It has attacked our Parliament, our financial capital Mumbai, marketplaces and pilgrimage routes,” the diplomat said, referring to the 2001 Parliament and the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks carried out by Pak-based terror groups.

“The list is long. For such a country to speak about violence anywhere is hypocrisy at its worst,” she said.