Pakistan rakes Kashmir issue at UNSC, India hits back, says 'a country that hosted Osama bin Laden...'

New Delhi: India on Wednesday (December 14, 2022) hit back at Pakistan after it raised the Kashmir issue at the UNSC and said that a country that hosted slain al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and attacked a neighbouring Parliament "does not have the credentials" to "sermonize" before this Council. During his address, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that the credibility of the UN depends on its effective response to the key challenges of our times, be it pandemics, climate change, conflicts or terrorism.

"We are obviously focused today on the urgency of reforming multilateralism. We will naturally have our particular views, but there is a growing convergence at least that this cannot be delayed any further," he said.

"While we search for the best solutions, what our discourse must never accept is the normalisation of such threats. The question of justifying what the world regards as unacceptable should not even arise. That certainly applies to state sponsorship of cross-border terrorism. Nor can hosting Osama bin Laden and attacking a neighbouring Parliament serve as credentials to sermonize before this Council," Jaishankar told the UN Security Council.

Watch: EAM Jaishankar tears down Pakistani FM Bilawal Bhutto after he rakes Kashmir at UNSC; Says don't justify "state sponsership of cross border terrorism.." as he lists Islamabad's "credentials" of hosting Osama bin Laden, role in Indian Parliament attack. pic.twitter.com/7ZlaEQMICQ — Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) December 14, 2022

Jaishankar's strong remarks came after Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto raised the Kashmir issue while speaking in the Council debate on reformed multilateralism.

Osama bin Laden was the mastermind behind the September 11 attacks in the US. He was living in Pakistan's Abbottabad city and was killed in a raid at his hideout in May 2011 by US Navy seals.

Jaishankar also referred to the attack on the Indian Parliament on December 13, 2001, when the terrorists of the Pakistsan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) killed nine people.

The External Affairs Minister presided on Wednesday over the UN Security Council Open Debate on "Maintenance of International Peace and Security: New Orientation for Reformed Multilateralism", a signature event held under India's Presidency of the 15-nation Council.

Bhutto was among the over 60 speakers listed for the debate. 

Statement #UNSC on reforming multilateralism. Argued democratization required to empower UN. Not expansion in elitist club of permanent member, more authoritarian vote powers,  instead support UFC proposal. Ofcourse Kashmir is unfinished agenda of UNSC & test of multilateralism https://t.co/fhJViEmYhi — BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) December 14, 2022

India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj was chairing the debate when Bhutto spoke in the Council.