Sushma Swaraj humiliates Pakistan at UNGA, says it can stop dreaming about Kashmir

In a rather power-packed speech at the 71st United Nations General Assembly in New York, Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj literally tore apart Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s claims on human rights violations in Kashmir as well as its record on fighting terrorism.

Sharif had on 21 September sought an international probe into what he described as “extrajudicial killings” in Indian Kashmir—in a reference to the unrest in the region following the death on 8 July of Burhan Wani, who India says was a Hizbul Mujahideen group terrorist.
Retaliating, Swaraj said- “I can only say that those accusing others of human rights violations would do well to introspect and see what egregious abuses they are perpetrating in their own country, including in Balochistan.”

Mincing no words, Swaraj further said that in exchange of friendship with the neighbouring country, India always got terrorism in return — in the form of Pathankot, Uri and Bahadur Ali, and that it was time to isolate the country that has become a breeding ground for terrorists.
She said, “Terrorists don’t have banks or factories of weapons. In that context, it is important to know who supports such terrorists? Afghanistan also raised this issue a few days back. Those who sow seeds of terrorism have to pay for it. There is no your or my terrorism – we cannot win the war against terrorism like that.”

Swaraj hit out hard at Pakistan when she appealed to other nations to isolate Pakistan. “Isolate a nation that doesn’t want to be a part of the fight against terrorism. We have to isolate a country that sows, grows and sells terrorism. Such countries have to be held accountable. We have to take actions against a country that allows terrorists to hold public celebrations, without bringing them to justice. Such a country is equally responsible for terrorist activities,” Swaraj said.

Kashmir is an integral part of India, she said, and will remain an integral part of India. “Pakistan should better stop dreaming about it.”

Swaraj’s hard-hitting speech comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan over the decades-old Kashmir dispute that has triggered three of the four wars between the two countries.

The speech followed a sharp attack on Pakistan by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday when he urged the people of Pakistan to “question their leadership on why, when both countries gained freedom together, while India exports software, Pakistan exports terrorists.”

“I want to say that India is a ready for a war… India is a ready for a war on poverty. Let both countries fight to see who would eradicate poverty first… I want to tell the youth of Pakistan, let’s have a war on ending unemployment… I want to call out to the children in Pakistan, let’s declare war on illiteracy. Let’s see who wins. Let’s declare war on infant mortality and maternal deaths,” Modi had said in his speech at a rally in Kozhikode.