Jaishankar fires back at Pakistani journalist at UN: ‘A terrorist country is asking me’

Jaishankar hits back at Pak journalist at UN over terrorism question

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday had a sharp exchange with a Pakistani journalist at the United Nations headquarters in New York after being questioned about terrorism.

The question came after Jaishankar and Liberian Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti addressed the media following the launch of a new international grouping focused on the safety of commercial shipping and seafarers.

The Pakistani journalist asked Jaishankar, “When will your government stop sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan?”

India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Harish Parvathaneni, responded before Jaishankar, telling the journalist: “You have heard your reply. You have heard your response, loud and clear.”

The exchange took place a day after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif faced questions from an Indian journalist outside the UN headquarters. Sharif was asked when Pakistan would stop harbouring terrorists. He did not respond. Reports said he was also questioned about the prosecution of Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed.

India, Liberia launch maritime security initiative

The interaction followed the launch of the “Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers” by India and Liberia on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly.

The initiative brings together countries seeking greater international cooperation on the safety of merchant vessels and their crews amid increasing threats to maritime routes.

Jaishankar said India, as a major source of seafarers, and Liberia, which operates the world’s largest shipping registry, had joined hands to draw attention to the issue.

He noted that attacks targeting commercial shipping and seafarers had become a recurring concern.

“In the last few months, commercial shipping and marinas have been subjected to repeated attacks in the Gulf, the Red Sea, and its vicinity,” Jaishankar said, adding that disruptions to maritime trade and threats to civilian lives were “simply indefensible.”

The new grouping comes against the backdrop of security concerns across important maritime corridors, including the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Bab-el-Mandeb and the Black Sea.

• Attack on vessel highlights risks to Indian crews
• The security situation has also affected Indian seafarers.

On September 23, an Indian national was killed when the bulk carrier MV Cape Dao came under attack off Oman while sailing towards India. The Indian Embassy in Oman said it was coordinating with local authorities, while the Ministry of External Affairs said 19 of the vessel’s 20 Indian crew members had been rescued.

The conflict has also disrupted shipping through the region. Reuters reported that only two commodity vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz on September 21, compared with an estimated pre-conflict average of around 125 large commercial vessels a day.

India has issued safety advisories for its nationals working on vessels operating in conflict-affected waters and said it continues to monitor the situation and maintain emergency-response arrangements.

The India-Liberia initiative seeks to strengthen international cooperation on protecting commercial vessels and seafarers as security risks continue to affect major global shipping routes.