India known for IT skills, but Pak for terrorism: Swaraj at UNGA

Swaraj said Pakistan PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi leveled various allegations on India, and the world thought "look who is talking".

Asserting that terrorism has emerged as a major threat for the entire world, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday tore into Pakistan and said India focused on development while Pakistan kept nurturing terrorists.

Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, Swaraj said Pakistan PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi leveled various allegations on India, and the world thought "look who is talking".

"Both nations got independence around the same time, but look where India is and where Pakistan is. We focused our efforts on development while Pakistan nurtured terrorism...We developed IITs and IIMs while they created jihadis and terrorists," she said.

"Jo mulk haivaaniyat ki haddein paar kar ke begunahon ko maut ke ghaat utarwata hai, wo yahan humein insaaniyat ka sabak sikha raha tha (The nation which has crossed the limit of atrocities against the innocent, is now preaching about humanity)," she added.

She said that while India fought against poverty, Pakistan remained obsessed with fighting India. Swaraj lashed out at Pakistan for being selective in its approach towards terrorists.

"Let us accept that terrorism is an existentialist danger to humankind. There is absolutely no justification for this barbaric violence," she added.

Pakistan PM Abbasi had on Friday accused India of human rights violation and said Pakistan wanted peace in the region. Sushma blasted Abbasi's claims, saying that Pakistan was responsible for creation of "Lashkar-e-Taiba,Jaish-e-Mohammed and Haqqani network."

"Pakistan's PM claimed that his nation's founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah had bequeathed a foreign policy based on peace and friendship. I would like to remind him that while it remains open to question whether Jinnah Sahab actually advocated such principles, what is beyond doubt is that PM Modi has, from the moment he took his oath of office, offered the hand of peace, and friendship," she said.

Swaraj said jihadi groups nurtured by Pakistan are spreading violence not only in India, but also in Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

She also spoke about several global challenges like climate change, maritime security, unemployment, gender empowerment, nuclear proliferation and cyber security.

Stressing on PM Modi's economic empowerment approach to eradicate poverty, the external affairs minister said, "We are turning them from job-seekers into job-providers."

She spoke at length about several initiatives like the Jan Dhan Yojana, Mudra Yojana, Skill India, Ujjwala Yojana and Digital India.

OneIndia News