‘Vicious and angry’: How Pakistan media reacted to Sushma Swaraj’s UN speech

Pakistan media reacted sharply to Indian external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj’s speech at the United Nations, with some calling it a vicious, strong and angry attack.

Other reports said Swaraj’s Saturday speech reflected India’s “resentment” towards Pakistan.

Swaraj tore into Pakistan as a “pre-eminent exporter of terror” in her rebuttal to Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s UN address, in which he accused India of sponsoring terrorism and human rights violation in Kashmir.

Here are some of the reactions to Swaraj’s UN address, described as insightful and strong by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Pakistani media:

The Express Tribune

A report said India responded with resentment to Pakistan PM’s “assertions of brutality in Kashmir”.

The Tribune ran another report that quoted sources as saying that Pakistan was likely working with China to introduce a resolution in the United Nations to declare India a ‘state sponsor of terrorism’.

In an opinion piece published on Saturday -- Abbasi’s speech throws Delhi off balance - Kamran Yousaf wrote that the Pakistan Prime Minister’s UN speech had left India reeling and Swaraj’s response was a proof of that.

“India’s unsavoury knee-jerk reaction says it all. Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s maiden speech at the UN General Assembly has left New Delhi reeling.”

Pakistan Today

A report said Swaraj’s speech was “hard-hitting and a “very sharp and strong attack” on Islamabad.

“Sushma Swaraj on Saturday unleashed a very sharp and strong attack on Pakistan and asked its leaders to introspect why India is recognised as global IT superpower while Islamabad is infamous as ‘export factory for terror’.”

Another article by Tasneem Yaseen highlighted Pakistan’s focus on alleged human rights violations in Kashmir. It also said Abbasi spoke “eloquently” on the country’s commitment to fighting terrorism.

The Dawn

The newspaper published a story headlined: Swaraj launches vicious attack on Pakistan in UN speech. The article said the external affairs minister had devoted most of her speech to responding to Abbasi’s accusations.

Swaraj “not only targeted Pakistan’s current rulers but questioned the commitment of the country’s founding fathers to peace and stability”.

The article also said Kashmiri protesters were chanting slogans for freedom outside the United Nations headquarters as Swaraj addressed the general assembly.

The Nation

The Nation took note of Swaraj’s remarks on Islamabad derailing bilateral ties, headlining its report : Pakistan aborted peace process, claims India.

“Relations between India and Pakistan have been tense in recent times, mainly over Kashmir, which is divided but claimed by both countries in full,” the article read.

GEO TV

GEO TV carried multiple follow-up stories on its website . One of the reports was headlined India responds to Pakistan with barrage of accusations at UNGA while another quoted the country’s permanent representative to the UN Maleeha Lodhi calling New Delhi the “mother of terrorism”. Lodhi went on to attack the BJP government as being fascist and said the party had picked a fanatic -- Yogi Adityanath -- as the chief minister of its biggest state.

First Published: Sep 24, 2017 11:49 IST