Full Breakdown
UNGA Showdown: Pakistan’s Kashmir Appeal Meets India’s Counter-Reply
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On September 25 2026 Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressed the United Nations General Assembly, demanding a “just and fair” resolution of Jammu and Kashmir and warning that any Indian attempt to divert Pakistan’s share of the Indus waters would be treated as an “act of war.” He credited former U.S. President Donald Trump with a “timely intervention” that averted a wider conflict in 2025.
India’s Right of Reply was delivered by Petal Gahlot, First Secretary at India’s Permanent Mission, rejecting Sharif’s claims, condemning Pakistan’s alleged support for cross-border terrorism, and highlighting Pakistan’s army-dominated political system. The following day, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reiterated India’s stance, warning that “terrorism and friendship cannot coexist.”
Background & Context
The Kashmir dispute has been raised at the UN since the 1960s, with Pakistan invoking resolutions and calling for a plebiscite. The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) of 1960 governs water sharing. After the April 22 2025 terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 civilians, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 2025, targeting alleged terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. A ceasefire was declared on May 10 2025.
Pakistan placed the IWT in abeyance on April 23 2025, arguing that India’s actions violated the treaty. In August 2026, the Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled the IWT remained in force, a decision India rejected as “illegally constituted.”
Data & Statistics
- April 22 2025: Pahalgam terror attack – 26 civilian deaths.
- May 7 2025: Operation Sindoor launched.
- May 10 2025: Ceasefire declared.
- April 23 2025: Pakistan placed the IWT in abeyance.
Official Statements & Responses
Sharif asserted that Kashmiris have waited “more than eight decades” for a UN-mandated plebiscite, described the Indus river system as the “lifeblood” of the region, and claimed Trump’s “resolute and visionary leadership” prevented an all-out war.
Jaishankar warned that a “serial practitioner of terrorism” could not claim immunity and that India would exercise its right to self-defence.
Criticism & Opposition
Foreign-affairs expert Robinder Sachdev dismissed Sharif’s speech as “the same old tired tirade,” arguing that Pakistan cannot expect cooperation while continuing “terrorist radicalist activities” against India.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We heard some hypocritical homilies about democratic rights and human values from a regime whose capital at this very moment is being fortified against its own people.” — Permanent Mission of India to the UN
- “Rejecting Pakistan's remarks, India reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country and instead drew attention to Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.” — Petal Gahlot
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Characterisation of the 2025 clash: Pakistan describes India’s May 2025 strikes as “external aggression,” while India labels them a justified response to the Pahalgam attack.
- Legal status of the IWT: Pakistan cites the Hague ruling that the treaty remains binding; India rejects the tribunal’s jurisdiction and says the treaty is suspended pending an end to terrorism.
What’s Next
Pakistan is expected to raise the Kashmir issue again at future UN sessions, while diplomatic engagement over the water treaty and terrorism accusations is likely to continue throughout the current UNGA cycle.