A terrorist country is asking me that: Jaishankar hits back at Pakistani reporter
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday hit back at a Pakistani reporter who attempted to question him about terrorism during a press briefing in New York, saying, “A terrorist country is asking me that question.”
The exchange took place during a press conference Jaishankar was addressing along with Liberia’s Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The briefing was focused on the Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers. According to the account of the event, it had been announced as a remarks-only briefing before it began.
Towards the end, a Pakistani reporter interrupted and attempted to raise a question on terrorism.
Jaishankar responded firmly to the interruption, referring to Pakistan as a “terrorist country”.
The External Affairs Minister is in New York as part of the Indian delegation for the UN General Assembly’s High-Level Week. He is scheduled to address the High-Level Session on Saturday and has held several bilateral and plurilateral meetings during his visit. INDIA’S POSITION ON CROSS-BORDER TERRORISM
India has repeatedly accused Pakistan of allowing terrorist groups operating from its territory and has called on Islamabad to take credible and verifiable action against cross-border terrorism.
New Delhi has also maintained that its military response following the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack was an exercise of its right to defend itself. The attack killed 26 civilians.
India subsequently launched Operation Sindoor against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The government has repeatedly said the operation was aimed at terrorist networks and infrastructure.
India has also pointed to international condemnation of the Pahalgam attack. References to the attack and terrorism have featured in statements and outcome documents issued at various multilateral forums, including a UN Security Council press statement in April 2025.TRF DESIGNATED BY US
The Resistance Front (TRF), which India has described as a proxy of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), was designated by the United States as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation and Specially Designated Global Terrorist on July 18, 2025.
India has maintained that TRF was involved in the Pahalgam attack. A report of the UN Security Council's 1267 Sanctions Committee also referred to links between TRF and the attack.
New Delhi has, over the years, pushed for the designation of terrorist organisations and individuals it says operate from or find shelter in Pakistan.
India has also raised concerns about terrorist financing and Pakistan’s efforts to prevent financial support reaching militant groups.PAKISTAN AND FATF SCRUTINY
Pakistan was placed on the Financial Action Task Force’s grey list three times, with its most recent period running from June 2018 to October 2022.
During the period of enhanced monitoring, Pakistan was required to strengthen measures to identify and disrupt terrorist financing and prosecute individuals involved in funding terrorist organisations.
India has argued that FATF scrutiny forced Pakistan to take action against several known terrorists and terrorist financing networks, including individuals linked to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
The latest exchange between Jaishankar and the Pakistani reporter comes amid continued tensions between India and Pakistan over terrorism and security.
Jaishankar has repeatedly used international forums to press India’s position that terrorism should not be normalised or treated as a political issue.- EndsWith inputs from ANI
