India on Saturday ridiculed Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s claim of “victory” during the May Operation Sindoor conflict, calling his UN General Assembly speech “absurd theatrics” that glorified terrorism.
Exercising India’s right of reply at the 80th UNGA session, Indian diplomat Petal Gahlot said Pakistan’s military had “pleaded” with India to cease fighting on May 10, exposing Sharif’s claim of a win as misleading. “If destroyed runways and burnt-out hangars look like victory, Pakistan is welcome to enjoy it,” Gahlot said, highlighting images of damaged air bases and military infrastructure during India’s strikes.
Gahlot further accused Pakistan of harbouring terrorists and sponsoring attacks on Indian civilians, including the April 22 Pahalgam massacre. She warned that India would hold both terrorists and their sponsors accountable and reiterated that any issues between New Delhi and Islamabad must be addressed bilaterally, with “no room for any third party.”
Sharif had presented Pakistan as the winner of the May escalation, claiming a ceasefire achieved “from a position of strength” with help from US President Donald Trump. India, however, maintained that the cessation of hostilities was a result of direct military talks.
Calling Pakistan a country “long steeped in the tradition of deploying and exporting terrorism,” Gahlot cited Operation Sindoor’s success in destroying terror camps of Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, and Hizbul Mujahideen, killing over 100 terrorists, and leaving Pakistan’s military infrastructure damaged.
She concluded by stressing that Pakistan must dismantle its terror infrastructure to show any sincerity for peace and warned against using nuclear threats to shield terrorism.
“India will never bow to such threats. The message to the world is clear: zero tolerance for terrorism.”
Support our Journalism
No-nonsense journalism. No paywalls. Whether you’re in Australia, the UK, Canada, the USA, or India, you can support The Australia Today by taking a paid subscription via Patreon or donating via PayPal — and help keep honest, fearless journalism alive.
