Jaishankar calls Pakistan terrorist country at UNGA press briefing

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday sharply rebuked a Pakistani journalist at the United Nations headquarters in New York. When the journalist asked, "When will your government stop sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan?" Jaishankar replied, "A terrorist country is asking me that question. Come on." India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Harish Parvathaneni, backed the minister, telling the journalist, "You have heard your reply. You have heard your response, loud and clear."

The exchange occurred during a press briefing on the Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers, co-founded by India and Liberia. The briefing was intended for remarks only before the Pakistani journalist interrupted. A day earlier, an Indian journalist had asked Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as he entered the UN building, "When will you stop harbouring terrorists?" Jaishankar also used the UNGA platform to call for reform of the UN Security Council, saying those opposing reform are "using" the UN and do not care about it.