India calls Pakistan 'terrorist state' at UN debate

Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan, speaks during the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2016, at U.N. headquarters. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson) (The Associated Press)

prev next

Lebanon's President of the Council of Ministers Tammam Salam addresses the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly, at U.N. headquarters, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) (The Associated Press)

Lebanon's President of the Council of Ministers Tammam Salam waits to be introduced to address the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly, at U.N. headquarters, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) (The Associated Press)

UNITED NATIONS – India has branded Pakistan a "terrorist state" in a stinging response to Pakistan's criticism of Indian suppression of protests in disputed Kashmir.

India exercised its right of reply in the U.N. General Assembly late Wednesday. It was responding to Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who had demanded a U.N. probe into "brutalities" by Indian forces.

Indian diplomat Eenam Gambhir described that as a "hypocritical sermon."

She blamed Pakistan for a rebel attack Sunday that killed 18 Indian soldiers in Kashmir, the deadliest attack on a military base there for years.

She said: "What we see in Pakistan is a terrorist state, which channelizes billions of dollars, much of it diverted from international aid, to training, financing and supporting terrorist groups as militant proxies against it neighbors."