S Jaishankar’s ‘karma’ jab at Pak in UN: Its GDP measured in terms of radicalisation

NEW DELHI, SEPT 29 : External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, speaking at the 79th session of the UN General Assembly on Saturday, took a jibe at Pakistan over the terrorism that it harbours, saying the country is making a ‘conscious choice’ of being left behind in the global order due to its Karma.

“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”, S Jaishankar said.

“Unfortunately, their misdeeds affect others as well, especially the neighbourhood. 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”, he added.

The External Affairs Minister further pointed out that Pakistan should not blame the world for its present condition, stressing that this is only its karma. “A dysfunctional nation coveting the lands of others must be exposed and must be countered”, he added.

Jaishankar particulary lashed out at Pakistan after their Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif compared the situation in Kashmir to that of Palestine.

In a powerful speech, Jaishankar said that Pakistan’s cross-border terrorism will never succeed, warning the neighbouring country of consequences for its actions.

“We heard some bizarre assertions from this very forum (UNGA) 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”, Jaishankar said in his speech.

“The issue to be resolved between us is only the vacation of illegally occupied Indian territory by Pakistan and, of course, abandonment of Pakistan’s long-standing attachment to terrorism”, he added.

Sharif, in his speech to the UNGA on Friday, compared the situation in Jammu and Kashmir to that of Palestine, saying the people had “struggled for a century for their freedom and right to self-determination”.

He called on India to reverse the abrogation of Article 370, which removed Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, and urged dialogue in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions and the “wishes of the Kashmiri people”.

The Pakistani PM also claimed New Delhi had rejected Islamabad’s proposal for a mutual strategic restraint regime, accusing the Indian leadership of threatening to cross the Line of Control (LoC) into what Pakistan refers to as “Azad Kashmir”.

Sharif’s comments drew sharp criticism from India as Indian diplomat Bhavika Mangalanandan retorted at the same forum saying “As the world knows, Pakistan has long employed cross-border terrorism as a weapon against its neighbours”.

“It has attacked our parliament, our financial capital, Mumbai, marketplaces, and pilgrimage routes. The list is long. For such a country to speak about violence anywhere is hypocrisy at its worst”, she added.

Meanwhile, S Jaishankar, during his UNGA speech on Saturday also touched upon burning issues such as the ongoing Gaza war and the Russia-Ukraine war.

“We are gathered here at a difficult time”, Jaishankar said while expressing support for the 79th UNGA theme ‘Leaving No-one Behind’.

“Countries have extracted more from the international system than they have put into it. We see that vividly in every challenge and every crisis, reforming multilateralism is therefore imperative”, the External Affairs Minister said.

“This cannot be delivered by a UN paralysed when faced with divisions, conflicts, terrorism and violence. Nor can it be advanced if access to food, fertiliser and fuel is jeopardised”, he emphasised.

Jaishankar further stressed that the UN must step up to make the world a better place, saying it should be done “Not because it is a competition of foreign influences, but because if we carry on like this, the state of the world will only get worse”.

The Minister also highlighted the need for a ‘Viksit Bharat’ as a role-model for a change that will be beneficial for all.

“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”, Jaishankar said, adding that our quest for a Viksit Bharat or a developed India will understandably be followed closely.

-PTI