Pakistan’s ambassador to the UN took the floor at the Security Council on Monday to hit back at India, accusing New Delhi of financing and supporting terrorist groups operating against Pakistan, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
Addressing the Council, the envoy said that India’s entire statement had been a “long prologue to target Pakistan,” and that its approach in Afghanistan was driven by a single objective: destabilising Pakistan.
He referred to the BLA as “Fitna al Hindustan,” saying that it “acts as a proxy of India to perpetrate terrorism inside Pakistan” and is “supported and financed by India”.
The ambassador also took aim at what he described as India’s shifting position on the Taliban, saying Pakistan was “amused to listen to India’s newfound love for the Taliban,” and linking the change to Pakistan’s counterterrorism gains in Afghanistan. He noted that India’s representative had not once condemned either the TTP or the BLA during the debate.
Citing casualties, he said that more than 1,200 Pakistanis were killed in terrorist attacks last year, and accused India of ‘trying to mask its own involvement in this bloodshed”.
On Pakistan’s strikes in Afghanistan in March, the envoy said that the operations targeted “drone storage and technical support infrastructure and ammunition storage sites” used to carry out attacks against Pakistan.
“The strikes were precise, deliberate and professional,” he said, adding that no civilian facility was hit. He said that video footage of all six strikes was released, with secondary explosions confirming that ammunition storage facilities had been struck.
The ambassador also questioned the legitimacy of Afghanistan’s representation at the Council, saying the seat holder “is occupying the seat but he is not representing anyone from Afghanistan.”
On Kashmir, he said that India remained in “illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir” and accused it of systematic human rights violations in the region, including the persecution of Muslims, Christians and Sikhs.
He also referred to India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) as a violation of international law and criticised what he called the total control of India’s media by the BJP.
Wrapping up, the ambassador said that Pakistan would not allow any attempt to “nourish terrorists and threaten our national security,” adding: “We have stopped them before and we will do it again, and we will do it always”.
