New York [US], September 26 (ANI): Exercising India's right of reply to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's speech at the UN General Assembly, First Secretary in India's Permanent Mission to the UN, Petal Gahlot, on Friday (local time) warned that cross-border terrorism by Pakistan will have consequences, while strongly rejecting Islamabad's remarks on India and Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing the UNGA, Gahlot said, 'This afternoon, the General Assembly heard some bizarre remarks from the representative of Pakistan. This happens just a fortnight after New York City and the world marked the 25th anniversary of the horrendous 9-11 terrorist attack. This context is important to keep in mind because its mastermind, Osama bin Laden, was living right on the doorstep of the Pakistani Army's premier academy. This was the very entity which was the subject of such deep genuflection before us today by the representative of Pakistan. But all this is only to be expected from what Pakistanis themselves call a Form 47 government'

The Indian diplomat charaterised Sharif's tired rhetoric at the General assembly as a 'hypcritical homily' calling his government a puppet.

'We heard some hypocritical homilies about democratic rights and human values from a regime whose capital at this very moment is being fortified against its own people. And that, Mr President, is happening because this is a regime of the army, by the army, and for the army. Their puppets may come and go, but let us have no illusion about who calls the shots. The reality of Pakistan is expressed in its 27th Amendment and the lifelong immunity granted to its real ruler,' she said.

'The views we heard emanate from those with a long record of bigotry and hatred. They claim to uphold security during the day; they actually carry out terrorism at night. This assembly was subjected to remarks about religious intolerance from the very regime whose mainstay is blasphemy laws. The world knows how minorities are treated in Pakistan. No pious platitude can mislead it,' she added.

Sharif, who is facing inumerable crisis at home including a failing economy, largescale protests over the continued detention of former PM Imran Khan and unrest in the provinces of Balochistan and PoJK, had tried to raise the Kashmir bogey at the Assembly. In its right to reply, India emphasised on Pakistan attrocities in PoJK and reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir was an integral part of the country.

'References were made to the Indian Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. This is an integral and inalienable part of my country and will always remain so. But if we must talk about Kashmir, let us turn our attention to the Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Ask the people of Rawalkot about the wanton killings, the brutal violence and the denial of basic rights that they have long experienced.'

India whoch has suffered the consequences of cross border terror said that it had demonstrated its resolve in dealing with terrorism and asserted its right to defend itself. The Indian diplomat also highlighted Pakistan's duplicity on the issue which was made clear and present recently when in an effort to escape the FATG grey list Pakistan put Jaish boss Maulana Masood Azhar on its terrorist list.

'At the heart of the issue is the long-standing practice of cross-border terrorism by Pakistan. We demonstrated last year that terrorists will have nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Our right to defend ourselves against terrorism will be exercised and continued. Terrorism by Pakistan will have consequences...We are confident that this Assembly will recognise Pakistan and its policies for what they really are, not what its representative mendaciously projects it to be. Reiterating falsehoods year after year does not make them true. Pakistan's terrorism, deceit and duplicity will neither benefit it nor the world,' Petal Gahlot told the Assembly.

India's strong reply hits out at a very tired rhetoric preached by Sharif to the Assembly. His loud claims on subjects like the Indus Water treaty and Pakistan's response to Op Sindoor have found no takers on the world stage, once again Pakistan stands isolated. (ANI)