If destroyed runways look like victory…: India tears into Pakistan at UN

India on Saturday ridiculed Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s claim of “victory” in the May conflict, telling the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) that images of destroyed air bases and damaged military infrastructure during Operation Sindoor painted a very different picture.Exercising India’s right of reply at the 80th UNGA session, Petal Gahlot, First Secretary at India’s Permanent Mission to the UN, said the evidence was plain for the world to see.“The intervening event was the destruction caused to multiple Pakistani air bases by Indian forces. The pictures of that damage are, of course, publicly accessible. If destroyed runways and burnt-out hangars look like victory, as the Prime Minister claimed, Pakistan is welcome to enjoy it,” Gahlot said.Gahlot went further, citing photographic evidence of India’s strikes on Pakistani terror hubs during Operation Sindoor.“A picture speaks a thousand words and we saw many pictures of terrorists slain in Bahawalpur and Muridke terror complexes by Indian forces during Operation Sindoor. When senior Pakistani military and civilian officials publicly glorify and pay homage to such notorious terrorists, can there be any doubt about the proclivities of this regime?” she said.Sharif had used his UNGA speech to portray Pakistan as the winner in the May escalation. Gahlot dismissed this version outright and said the sequence of events pointed to a very different reality.“The Prime Minister of Pakistan also advanced a bizarre account of the recent conflict with India. The record on this matter is clear. Till 9 May, Pakistan was threatening more attacks on India. But on 10 May, its military pleaded with us directly for a cessation to the fighting,” she stressed.She added that Pakistan was once again responsible for a terrorist attack on Indian civilians and that New Delhi had acted decisively to defend its people.“The truth is that as in the past, Pakistan is responsible for a terrorist attack on innocent civilians in India. We have exercised the right to defend our people against such actions and have brought the organisers and perpetrators to justice,” Gahlot said.Sharif also used his UNGA speech to raise Kashmir and portray Pakistan as the victor in the May escalation. India hit back, calling his remarks “absurd theatrics.”“This Assembly witnessed absurd theatrics in the morning from the Prime Minister of Pakistan, who once again glorified terrorism that is so central to their foreign policy. However, no degree of drama and no level of lies can conceal the facts,” Gahlot said.She reminded delegates that on April 25, Pakistan shielded The Resistance Front, a Pakistan-sponsored outfit, from accountability for the massacre of 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam just days earlier.While Sharif had spoken about peace, Gahlot said the “pathway is clear” only if Pakistan dismantles its terror infrastructure.“The Pakistani Prime Minister has spoken about wanting peace with India. If he is indeed sincere, the pathway is clear. Pakistan must immediately shut down all terrorist camps and hand over to us the terrorists wanted in India,” she said.She also called it ironic that a country “wallowing in hate, bigotry and intolerance” should attempt to lecture the Assembly on matters of faith. “It is ironic that a country which wallows in hate, bigotry and intolerance should preach to this Assembly on matters of faith. The political and public discourse of Pakistan reflects its true nature. Clearly, a look by them at the mirror is long overdue.”Reiterating India’s position, Gahlot said, “India and Pakistan have long agreed that any outstanding issue between them will be addressed bilaterally. There is no room for any third party in that regard. This is our longstanding national position.”