India responded to Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif’s UNGA remarks through diplomat Petal Gahlot, rejecting his Kashmir references and accusing Islamabad of supporting cross-border terrorism. Gahlot also raised concerns over Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and criticised Pakistan’s record on minorities. An IFS officer, Gahlot has previously represented India at the UN on similar issues.

India and Pakistan once again clashed diplomatically at the United Nations General Assembly after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif raised Jammu and Kashmir, the Indus Waters Treaty and the 2025 India-Pakistan conflict in his address.

India exercised its Right of Reply through Petal Gahlot, First Secretary at India’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, who rejected Sharif’s references to Jammu and Kashmir and accused Pakistan of supporting cross-border terrorism.

What Did Shehbaz Sharif Say At UNGA?

In his address to the 81st UN General Assembly in New York on September 25, Sharif again raised the Kashmir issue, calling for what Pakistan described as a “just and fair solution” and referring to a UN-backed plebiscite.

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Sharif also praised US President Donald Trump for what he described as a “timely intervention” during the 2025 India-Pakistan military confrontation. He credited Trump with helping prevent further escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

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The Pakistan prime minister also criticised India's position on the Indus Waters Treaty, arguing that any attempt to divert Pakistan's share of the waters would have serious consequences. He said the Indus river system was vital to Pakistan and warned that any attempt to divert its waters would be treated as an “act of war”.

India's Sharp Response At UN

Responding to Sharif, Gahlot firmly rejected Pakistan's references to Jammu and Kashmir, reiterating India's position that the Union Territory is an integral and inalienable part of the country.

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She also turned the spotlight on Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, alleging that people there have faced violence and denial of basic rights. Her remarks referred to conditions in areas including Rawalakot.

On terrorism, Gahlot accused Pakistan of a long-standing policy of cross-border terrorism and asserted India's right to defend itself against such attacks.

“At the heart of the issue is the long-standing practice of cross-border terrorism by Pakistan,” she said, adding that “terrorism by Pakistan will have consequences”.

Gahlot also criticised Pakistan's record on minority rights, blasphemy laws and the role of the military in the country's political affairs. She described Sharif's remarks as “hypocritical homilies” and accused Islamabad of using the UN platform to make what India considers false or misleading claims.

Who Is Petal Gahlot?

Petal Gahlot is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer serving at India's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York. She joined the IFS in 2015 and has emerged as a familiar Indian voice during India's Right of Reply to Pakistan at the UN.

Gahlot has previously responded to Pakistani statements at the UN, including during the 2025 UN General Assembly session, when she addressed issues surrounding terrorism, Kashmir and India's position on bilateral relations.

Petal Gahlot's Education And Career

Gahlot was born in New Delhi and studied at St Xavier's College, Mumbai, where she pursued political science, sociology and French literature. She later completed a master's degree in political science at Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi.

She also pursued postgraduate studies in language interpretation and translation at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey in the United States.

After joining the IFS, Gahlot served in India's Ministry of External Affairs and was associated with the ministry's Europe West Division. She has also held diplomatic assignments in Paris and San Francisco before moving to India's UN mission in New York.

Gahlot's Growing Presence At The UN

Gahlot has gained attention in India for her interventions at the UN, particularly when responding to Pakistan's statements on Kashmir and terrorism.

Her role places her at the frontline of India's diplomatic messaging at one of the world's most prominent multilateral forums. Her Right of Reply to Sharif's latest UNGA address once again brought her into focus as the two countries exchanged sharply contrasting positions on Kashmir, terrorism, water-sharing and the 2025 conflict.

India-Pakistan Positions At UNGA

The latest exchange reflects the continuing diplomatic divide between New Delhi and Islamabad. Pakistan continues to raise Kashmir at international forums and calls for what it describes as the right to self-determination, while India rejects attempts to internationalise the issue and maintains that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.

The two sides also hold sharply different positions on the Indus Waters Treaty and the events surrounding the 2025 military confrontation.

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