Pak has upstreamed terrorism, downstreamed hate speech: India at UN

In a sharp rebuttal to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's address at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), India has said Islamabad has ventured to "upstream terrorism and downstream hate speech."

Under the right to reply to the statement made by Khan, New Delhi said the citizens of India do not need anyone else to speak on their behalf, least of all those who have built an industry of terrorism from the ideology of hate.

"I take the floor to exercise India's right of reply to the statement made by the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Every word spoken from the podium of this august Assembly, it is believed, carries the weight of history," said First Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Vidisha Maitra.

In a clear reference to Pakistan, Maitra said, "Citizens of India do not need anyone else to speak on their behalf, least of all those who have built an industry of terrorism from the ideology of hate".

"Unfortunately, what we heard today from Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan was a callous portrayal of the world in binary terms. Us vs Them; Rich vs Poor; North vs South; Developed Vs Developing; Muslims vs Others. A script that fosters divisiveness at the United Nations. Attempts to sharpen differences and stir up hatred are simply put - hate speech," she continued.

Khan, in his almost 50-minute address, warned of dire "consequences" in the event of a nuclear war with India over the Kashmir issue.

Maitra said that rarely has the General Assembly witnessed such an "misuse, rather abuse" of an opportunity to reflect.

"Words matter in diplomacy. Invocation of phrases such as "pogrom", "bloodbath", "racial superiority", "pick up the gun" and "fight to the end" reflect a medieval mindset and not a 21st-century vision," she said.

While Pakistan representative was seen carefully taking notes, Maitra addressed Prime Minister with his full name, Imran Khan Niazi to draw a connection with General A A K Niazi, who was a lieutenant-general in the Pakistan Army and the last Governor of East Pakistan.

"Pogroms, Prime Minister Imran Khan Niazi, are not a phenomenon of today's vibrant democracies. We would request you to refresh your rather sketchy understanding of history. Do not forget the gruesome genocide perpetrated by Pakistan against its own people in 1971 and the role played by Lt Gen A A K Niazi. A sordid fact that the Hon'ble Prime Minister of Bangladesh reminded this Assembly about earlier this afternoon," said Maitra.

In response to Khan's response to UN Observers to Pakistan to verify that there are no militant organisations in Pakistan, Maitra said the world will hold him to that promise

She raised a few questions and asked would Khan "deny to the city of New York that he was an open defender of Osama bin Laden?"

"Can Pakistan confirm the fact that it is home to 130 UN-designated terrorists and 25 terrorist entities listed by the UN, as of today?

"Will Pakistan acknowledge that it is the only Government in the world that provides pension to an individual listed by the UN in the al-Qaida and Da'esh Sanctions list!"

"Can Pakistan explain why here in New York, its premier bank, the Habib Bank had to shut shop after it was fined millions of dollars over terror financing?"

"Will Pakistan deny that the Financial Action Task Force has put the country on notice for its violations of more than 20 of the 27 key parameters?," she asked.

Maitra also pointed out the treatment given to minorities in Pakistan and said the country has shrunk the size of its minority community from 23 per cent in 1947 to three per cent today.

"This a country that has shrunk the size of its minority community from 23 per cent in 1947 to 3 per cent today and has subjected Christians, Sikhs, Ahmadiyas, Hindus, Shias, Pashtuns, Sindhis and Balochis to draconian blasphemy laws, systemic persecution, blatant abuse and forced conversions," she said.

Prime Minister Khan's threat of unleashing nuclear devastation qualifies as brinksmanship, not statesmanship, she said.

"Even coming from the leader of a country that has monopolised the entire value chain of the industry of terrorism, Prime Minister Khan's justification of terrorism was brazen and incendiary."

"For someone who was once a cricketer and believed in the gentleman's game, today's speech bordered on the crudeness of the variety that is reminiscent of the guns of Darra Adam Khel" added Maitra.