India Says Pak Army Sought Ceasefire Amid Operation Sindoor
India rebuts Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif’s UNGA remarks, asserts no third-party role in bilateral issues.
UNITED NATIONS, Sep 27: India has asserted that Pakistan’s military “pleaded” for a cessation of fighting during Operation Sindoor, rejecting Islamabad’s attempt to internationalise bilateral matters. The remarks came from Petal Gahlot, First Secretary at India’s Permanent Mission to the UN, while exercising India’s Right of Reply at the 80th UN General Assembly session on Friday.
Gahlot’s sharp response followed Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s address to the UNGA, where he credited former US President Donald Trump with averting war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
“This Assembly witnessed absurd theatrics in the morning from the prime minister of Pakistan, who once again glorified terrorism that is so central to their foreign policy,” Gahlot said. She emphasised that there is “no room for any third party” in India-Pakistan issues.
Sharif, in his speech, said Pakistan was ready for a “composite, comprehensive and result-oriented” dialogue with India on all outstanding issues, while criticising New Delhi over Kashmir. He praised Trump, noting that Pakistan even nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize for his “efforts for peace.”
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. According to New Delhi, the cessation of hostilities with Pakistan was agreed upon only after direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMO) of both countries.
