Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a veiled attack at Pakistan ‘for using over terrorism as political tool’ as he addressed the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Saturday.

“Along with regressive thinking, countries that are using terrorism as a political tool have to understand that terrorism is an equally big threat to them,” the Prime Minister said while talking about the situation in Afghanistan.

Modi’s remark came as he pointed out that the danger of regressive thinking and extremism is increasing in front of the world.

PM Modi noted that the people of Afghanistan need help and the countries around the world must fulfill their responsibility. He, however, said that it is significant to ensure that the territory of Afghanistan is not used to spread terrorism and for terrorist attacks.

“It is necessary that we continue to strengthen the UN to protect the global order, global laws and global values,” he added.

Pakistan's neighbours, including Afghanistan and India, and the US have long accused Islamabad of providing safe haven and support to militants, a charge denied by it.

Modi said that oceans are also a shared heritage. "Our oceans are also the lifeline of international trade. We must protect them from the race for expansion. The international community must speak in one voice to strengthen a rule-based world order, he added.

Earlier on Friday, India’s First Secretary Sneha Dubey had said in the UN General Assembly that Pakistan, where terrorists enjoy free pass, is an "arsonist" disguising itself as a "fire-fighter."

Dubey’s response came after Prime Minister Imran Khan raked up the issue of Kashmir in his address to the UN General Assembly. "We keep hearing that Pakistan is a 'victim of terrorism'. This is the country which is an arsonist disguising itself as a fire-fighter. Pakistan nurtures terrorists in their backyard in the hope that they will only harm their neighbours. Our region, and in fact the entire world, has suffered because of their policies. On the other hand, they are trying to cover up sectarian violence in their country as acts of terror," Dubey said.

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(Edited by : Kanishka Sarkar)

First Published:Sept 25, 2021 7:48 PM IST