Former Indian diplomat Mahesh Sachdev didn’t hold back when he ripped into Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s speech at the 80th United Nations General Assembly, or UNGA80. He called it a dramatic act straight out of Bollywood—full of fake stories and loaded with factual mistakes that India’s response quickly exposed.
In an interview with , Sachdev slammed the address for its hypocrisy and open praise of terrorism. This criticism lined up with comments from Petal Gahlot, India’s First Secretary at the UN mission, who fired back during the right of reply at the assembly. “It was like a virtuous performance fit for a Bollywood role,” Sachdev said. “But seriously, it’s a bogus narrative full of inconsistencies. India’s reply already tore it apart factually.”
Sachdev pointed to Pakistan’s long history of backing terrorism as a key part of its foreign policy, not just against India but also Afghanistan. He brought up how Pakistan sheltered Osama bin Laden under military protection for nearly a decade until U.S. forces took him out. Then there’s the Pakistani military leaders attending funerals of terrorists killed in India’s Operation Sindoor—a bold strike on terror camps in nine spots across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, or PoJK.
“Osama bin Laden lived peacefully under Pakistani army watch for years,” Sachdev added. “And when India hit those terror bases training fighters against us, top Pakistani officers showed up at the funerals. That’s louder than anything Sharif said. We all know about Pakistan’s double talk.”
India’s right of reply, given by Gahlot, took direct aim at Sharif’s boast about winning the May conflict between India and Pakistan. She highlighted how Pakistan’s military begged for a ceasefire on May 10 after Indian forces wrecked several airbases. “If destroyed runways and scorched hangars count as victory, then Pakistan can have it,” Gahlot shot back. She also called out Pakistan for protecting groups like The Resistance Front, which carried out the brutal April 22 attack killing tourists in Jammu and Kashmir—stoking ongoing India-Pakistan tensions over terrorism in Kashmir.
Looking ahead, another ex-diplomat, KP Fabian, laid out a straightforward way for Pakistan to ease India-Pakistan relations and start real talks. “If Pakistan wants dialogue with India, it’s simple,” he told . “First, declare no more exporting terrorism from Pakistani soil to India. Second, shut down the terror networks. Third, bring in UN experts—including a couple from India—to check it’s done.”
Fabian said India could respond by reviving the Indus Water Treaty and sitting down for bilateral discussions. But he made it clear: “India-Pakistan issues need bilateral fixes. Involving Trump or anyone else won’t cut it,” he noted, referring to Sharif’s recent push for U.S. involvement.
On India’s sharp rebuttal, Fabian touched on how Pakistan often twists words, labeling terrorists as “Kashmiri brothers fighting for freedom.” “It’s all about the language,” he said. “But sit down, talk, and you can find common ground.” ()
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