Shehbaz Sharif dodges question over Pakistan’s terror links at UN

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declined to answer reporters’ questions at the UN over Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed and allegations of terrorism links. The episode followed India’s criticism of Pakistan at the UN over cross-border terrorism and governance issues

New York: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif evaded questions on terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed during his visit to the United Nations headquarters for the 81st UN General Assembly, refusing to address pointed questions over Islamabad’s alleged links to terrorism, according to media reports.

In a video circulating on social media, Sharif was seen arriving at the UN headquarters, as reporters asked: “Prime Minister, when will you stop harbouring terrorists?” Sharif offered no response. The issue was raised again when he left the UN premises.

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Reporters asked, “When will you prosecute Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed?” Sharif once again declined to answer, walking past the journalists without addressing the question. Hafiz Saeed is the founder of the Pakistan-based proscribed terror group LeT and one of India’s most-wanted global terrorists.

He remains a UN-listed global terrorist with a $10 million bounty placed on him by the United States government. Earlier on Wednesday, India lashed out at Pakistan at the United Nations, telling Islamabad to address its struggling, bailout-dependent economy rather than harbour territorial ambitions or support cross-border terrorism.

At the UN Human Rights Council, Indian diplomat Kshitij Tyagi hit back at Pakistan’s attempts at diversion, saying aggressive posturing could not rescue its struggling economy.

“Pakistan would better serve its people by focusing on development, rather than by coveting territory of others or exporting terror, because neither these nor its theatrics in the Council would help repay the loans its economy survives on,” Tyagi remarked.

Tyagi also laid bare Islamabad’s domestic record, citing the violent suppression of civilians in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), where mass protests have been met with lethal force while authorities restricted access to essential food, fuel and medicine

“This Council was told last Friday of scores of civilians killed since June in the territory Pakistan occupies, of students arrested in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, and of food and medicine held back. When those accounts were given, Pakistan’s answer was a point of order. If any delegation in this room meets every objective criterion for this Council’s scrutiny, it is Pakistan,” he said, highlighting Pakistan’s glaring governance failures.