Indian external affairs minister accuses Islamabad of 'harbouring terrorists' during UNGA speech. PHOTO: FI:LE
India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday slammed Pakistan at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, accusing it of harbouring terrorists and "masking malevolence with duplicity".
The external affairs minister of India strongly rebuked Pakistan’s accusation that India was sabotaging the dialogue process. She said talks cannot be pursued in the midst of “terrorist bloodshed” with a nation that “glorifies killers” and refuses to see the “blood of innocents”.
Addressing the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Swaraj said despite the olive branch for talks extended by Pakistan many times, the process had to be stopped only because of the ‘behaviour’ of the neighbouring country, The Indian Express reported.
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"Last year, Pakistan's representative, using right to reply, displayed some photographs as "proof" of "human rights violations" by India," she said.
"The photographs turned out to be from another country. Similar false accusations have become part of its standard rhetoric," she further added.
“We are accused of sabotaging the process of talks. This is a complete lie. We believe that talks are only rational means to resolve the most complex of disputes. Talks with Pakistan have begun many times. If they stopped, it was only because of their behaviour,” she remarked.
The Indian diplomat said despite visiting Islamabad in December 2016 for the resumption of comprehensive bilateral dialogue, “Pakistan-sponsored terrorists attacked our air force base in Pathankot on January 2”.
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She said India cannot pursue talks in the midst of “terrorist bloodshed”. Swaraj claimed Pakistan was not only an expert in providing safe haven to terrorists but also at trying to “mask malevolence with verbal duplicity”.
Video Courtesy: Rajya Sabha TV
The fiery speech comes a day after her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi expressed disappointment on India’s rejection of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s offer of resuming peace talks following the diplomatic snub at the informal meeting of SAARC foreign ministers in New York.
Qureshi is expected address to the UNGA shortly.
The foreign minister will be presenting Pakistan’s stance before the comity of nations at a time of shifting global alignments and rising regional tensions.
Qureshi, who earlier served as foreign minister during the tenure of the 2008-13 Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)-led government has represented the nation earlier at the 65th session of the UNGA.
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