Regime of the army, by the army, for the army: India rips into Pak at UN

India launched a sharp attack on Pakistan at the United Nations General Assembly, calling it a regime “of the army, by the army, and for the army” and accusing Islamabad of using terrorism, deceit and duplicity to advance its interests.

Exercising India's Right of Reply after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's address, First Secretary at India's Permanent Mission to the UN Petal Gahlot said the world should have no illusion about who calls the shots in Pakistan.

“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,” Gahlot said.

“Their puppets may come and go, but let us have no illusion about who calls the shots,” she added.

Gahlot also invoked Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden's presence in Abbottabad, near the Pakistani Army's premier academy, while hitting back at what she described as “bizarre remarks” by Pakistan's representative.

“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 is important to keep in mind because its mastermind, Osama bin Laden, was living right on the doorstep of the Pakistani Army's premier academy,” she said.

She further accused Pakistan of hypocrisy over issues of religious intolerance and human rights, saying the country's record on minorities contradicted the claims made at the UN.

“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,” Gahlot said.

“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,” she added.INDIA ON KASHMIR

Responding to Sharif's references to Jammu and Kashmir, Gahlot reiterated India's position that the union territory is an integral and inalienable part of the country.

“This is an integral and inalienable part of my country and will always remain so,” she said.

Turning the Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) claims back on Islamabad, Gahlot asked the world to look at the situation in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

“But if we must talk about Kashmir, let us turn our attention to the Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Ask the people of Rawalkot about the wanton killings, the brutal violence and the denial of basic rights that they have long experienced,” she said.TERRORISM BY PAKISTAN WILL HAVE CONSEQUENCES

Gahlot also accused Pakistan of a long-standing practice of cross-border terrorism and said India would continue to exercise its right to defend itself.

“At the heart of the issue is the long-standing practice of cross-border terrorism by Pakistan,” she said.

“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,” she added.

Gahlot said India was confident that the UN General Assembly would recognise Pakistan and its policies for what they were, rather than accept what she described as a misleading projection by its representative.

“Reiterating falsehoods year after year does not make them true. Pakistan's terrorism, deceit and duplicity will neither benefit it nor the world,” she said.WHAT SHEHBAZ SHARIF SAID

Gahlot's rebuttal came after Shehbaz Sharif used his UN General Assembly address to raise the Kashmir issue and credit US President Donald Trump for his “timely intervention” during the 2025 India-Pakistan conflict.

Sharif said Trump's intervention had saved hundreds of millions of lives in South Asia. India, however, has consistently rejected claims of third-party intervention in the conflict.

The Pakistan Prime Minister also said a “just and fair solution” to the Kashmir issue was necessary to ensure that South Asia did not return to the brink of conflict.

Sharif also spoke about the Indus Waters Treaty and Pakistan's efforts to facilitate talks between Washington and Tehran amid the ongoing West Asia conflict.

He repeatedly praised Pakistan's Chief of Defence Forces and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, crediting his “relentless efforts” with helping create space for diplomacy under difficult circumstances.- Ends