The UNGA platform is meant to discuss global good and project a nation’s achievement, but for Pakistan, with nothing to display, it has been repeatedly exploited to only cry hoarse and push a bunch of lies
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) session on September 27. As expected, his speech concentrated on just two subjects: Palestine and Kashmir. He cried hoarse on Pakistan’s two adversaries, neither of whom he can touch, Israel and India.

It was a display of frustration and desperation as he had no solution on handling either of them. He attempted to convey that both were in the wrong and adopting similar policies.

Pakistan PM Shehbaz ranted, “Like the people of Palestine, the people of Jammu and Kashmir too have struggled for a century for their freedom and right to self-determination. Instead of moving towards peace, India has resiled from its commitments to implement the UNSC resolutions.”

In fact, Pakistan has greater fears as demands from Pakistan occupied Kashmir for merger with India are increasing. India’s refusal to even consider reinstating Article 370, Pakistan’s basic demand for recommencing dialogue, has left Islamabad in panic. What has further hurt Pakistan is the continued threat of cross-border retaliation including regaining PoK by military force in case Islamabad continues to sponsor terrorism.

Pakistan’s obfuscation
Stammering, unable to read his lines, the Pakistan PM’s entire speech was ranting on India and Israel with no mention of Islamabad's contribution to the world, to development or for its own people.

Nor is there much to mention about a country, whose PM is a figurehead, chosen by the army, with no authority to take decisions. Nor could he talk about democracy as it is suppressed within his own country with the jailing of the most popular leader, Imran Khan, on trumped up charges. He was afraid to mention ongoing elections in J&K as the world is aware that they are free and fair, while those in Pakistan are rigged. 

Neither could Pakistan PM Shehbaz state that the Shimla agreement and the Lahore declaration have made any global body or third-party mediation redundant in Indo-Pak territorial disputes. It is bilateral and would remain so, which is why no nation, including any ally of Pakistan, ever offers to mediate.

Nor could the Pakistan PM mention Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), where genocide is ongoing and locals disappear with their bodies emerging mysteriously a few years later, riddled with bullets.

Every family in Baluchistan and KP has missing members and protests for their whereabouts are suppressed employing brutal force. The very mention of Baluchistan on the global stage brings about a sense of panic in Islamabad.

Nor could he complain about the Taliban which his nation reared only to end up supporting the TTP (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan) which is gaining territory by the day in KP. As External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar mentioned, “It can’t blame the world; this is only karma.”

The Pakistan PM was afraid to mention drugs from Afghanistan, aware that it is the country’s army which is behind its trafficking through Karachi. Nor could he mention that every West Asian country has told Pakistan not to send its beggars to them. 

While speaking of Hindu supremacist agenda, he failed to mention that minorities in his country are being forcibly converted, killed and even graves of minority Ahmadiyyas are desecrated almost daily. The nation that never respects other religions talks of Islamophobia.

Pakistan’s evasiveness
Shehbaz Sharif could also not mention that the country is facing uncontrollable inflation and unemployment with anger growing amongst the public only because of financial misdeeds and large-scale corruption. Nor could he state that Pakistan is so steeped in debt that in case the IMF delays loans, the nation could collapse. He also failed to state that Pakistan is a proxy state of China and ready to do its bidding. 

All it took from India was a junior diplomat to tear apart the Pakistan PM’s facade and display to the world that all Pakistan does is just push a bunch of lies. India's First Secretary to the UN, Bhavika Mangalanandan, delivered a strong response, conveying to the world the type of nation that Pakistan is. She mentioned, “A country run by the military, with a global reputation for terrorism, narcotics trade and transnational crime has had the audacity to attack the world's largest democracy.”

She added, “Yet we must make clear how unacceptable his words are to all of us. We know that Pakistan will seek to counter the truth with more lies. Repetition will change nothing. Our stand is clear and needs no reiteration. There can be no compact with terrorism.” She reiterated that al Qaeda founder and dreaded terrorist Osama bin Laden was a revered guest in the country. 

Indian representatives have rarely ever referred to Pakistan in their address at the UNGA. However, this time, it needed to be called out. Dr Jaishankar speaking at the UNGA mentioned, “Pakistan’s cross-border terrorism policy will never succeed. And it can have no expectation of impunity. On the contrary, actions will certainly have consequences. The issue to be resolved between us is now only the vacation of illegally occupied Indian territory by Pakistan. And, of course, the abandonment of Pakistan’s longstanding attachment to terrorism.”

Conclusion
It was a warning that India will accept no mention of mediation nor will it resume dialogue unless Pakistan stops terrorism altogether. It is evident that India has outgrown Pakistan, moved way ahead, considering it just a pinprick, while for Pakistan, India is a nemesis, the very mention of whom causes panic within their leadership.

India is also the nation that Pakistan aspires to be but can never be. What India is today is beyond a dream for Pakistan. It can only find solace by falsely crying about India and Kashmir on the global stage, while hiding its own flaws and misdeeds.

***The writer is a security and strategic affairs commentator; views expressed here are his own