Pakistan’s Cross-Border Terrorism Policy Will Never Succeed, Can’t Expect Impunity: Jaishankar At UNGA

External Affairs Minister condemned Pakistan's "cross-border terrorism policy" at the UNGA, urging Pakistan to vacate occupied Indian territory. He stressed that terrorism must be opposed resolutely.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar firmly condemned Pakistan's "cross-border terrorism policy," asserting that it "will never succeed" and emphasising the need for Pakistan to vacate illegally occupied Indian territory while addressing the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Saturday.

In reference to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's remarks, Jaishankar stated, "We heard some bizarre assertions from this very forum yesterday. Let me make India's position very clear - Pakistan's policy of cross-border terrorism will never succeed. And it can have no expectation of impunity. On the contrary, actions will certainly have consequences." He further urged Pakistan to abandon its longstanding attachment to terrorism.

Highlighting the broader implications of Pakistan's actions, Jaishankar noted, "Many countries get left behind due to circumstances beyond their control, but some make conscious choices with disastrous consequences. A premier example is our neighbour Pakistan. Unfortunately, their misdeeds affect others as well, especially the neighbourhood." He added, "When this polity instils such fanaticism among its people, its GDP can only be measured in terms of radicalisation and its exports in the form of terrorism. Today, we see the ills it sought to visit on others consume its own society."

Asserting that Pakistan cannot blame the world for its plight, Jaishankar remarked, "This is only karma. A dysfunctional nation coveting the lands of others must be exposed and must be countered."

The Minister further argued that the international community cannot be fatalistic about ongoing violence and must acknowledge the urgent need for solutions. He stated, "Terrorism is antithetical to everything that the world stands for. All its forms and manifestations must be resolutely opposed. The sanctioning of global terrorists by the United Nations should also not be impeded for political reasons."

'Peace And Prosperity Equally Endangered': S Jaishankar At UNGA On Global Conflicts

In a broader context, Jaishankar addressed the current global challenges, stating, "We strongly support the 79th UNGA theme - 'Leaving No-one Behind'. We are gathered here at a difficult time. The world is yet to recover from the ravages of the Covid pandemic. A war in Ukraine is well into its third year, and the conflict in Gaza is acquiring wider ramifications."

He noted that the world is grappling with various crises, including climate change, food security, and health security.

He described the world as "fractious, polarised, and frustrated," highlighting that "conversations have become difficult, agreements even more so." Jaishankar stressed that this state of affairs is "surely not what the founders of the United Nations would have wanted of us," adding, "Today, we find both peace and prosperity equally endangered. And that is because trust has eroded and processes have broken down."

Jaishankar emphasised the interdependence of peace and development, asserting, "Countries have extracted more from the international system than they have put into it. Reforming multilateralism is therefore imperative... This cannot be delivered by a UN paralysed when faced with divisions, conflicts, terrorism, and violence."

He urged the international community to provide hope and rekindle optimism amid these troubled times.

"We have to demonstrate that big changes are possible... When India lands on the moon, rolls out its own 5G stack, dispatches vaccines worldwide, embraces fintech or houses so many global capability centres, there is a message here. Our quest for a Viksit Bharat or a developed India will understandably be followed closely. An important cause of many getting left behind has been the unfairness of the current globalisation model. Overconcentration of production has hollowed out many economies, impacting their employment and social stability," he remarked, underscoring the need to address the unfairness of the current globalisation model that has left many behind.

 Jaishankar’s address concluded with a call for a more effective and representative UN, reinforcing the need for global cooperation to ensure that no country is left behind. “Let us therefore send out a clear message from this UNGA Session: we are determined not to be left behind,” he urged, calling for a collective effort to bring about meaningful change.