Petal Gahlot, India’s First Secretary to the UN, gave a forceful and forthright reaction to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s earlier speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Gahlot, who started her job in July 2023, used India’s right of reply immediately away to denounce what Sharif said. Gahlot said, “The Prime Minister of Pakistan put on ridiculous shows in the morning at this assembly, once again praising terrorism, which is so important to their foreign policy.” She said that “no amount of drama” or “no amount of lies” could hide the reality.
Gahlot’s Claims and Exposures
Gahlot used specific examples to back up her statements in her rejoinder, including a recent military battle between the two countries.
Gahlot talked about “Operation Sindoor,” an Indian military operation that went after terrorist strongholds in Bahawalpur and Muridke. She said that high-ranking military and civilian authorities in Pakistan had paid their respects to the terrorists who died in these strikes.
Gahlot said that Sharif had offered “a bizarre account” of the military conflict between the two countries.
Pakistan’s Plea for Truce: To set the record straight, Gahlot said that “Till 9th May, Pakistan was threatening more attacks on India.” But on May 10th, the military came to us immediately and asked us to stop fighting. This new information went against Sharif’s story and showed a radically different image of the military situation.
What do you know about Petal Gahlot?
Petal Gahlot is a career diplomat who works for the United Nations as one of India’s most important advisors. She worked as an assistant secretary at the Ministry of External Affairs’ European West Division from 2020 to 2023, before being named First Secretary. While she was an undersecretary, she also worked at the Indian mission/consulate in Paris and San Francisco.
Gahlot is noted for more than only her work as a diplomat; she is also a talented musician. On social media sites like X (previously Twitter), she often publishes videos of herself playing the guitar. Her covers of well-known songs like “Bella Ciao” and LP’s “Lost On You” have become very popular online.
Gahlot has a bachelor’s degree in political science, sociology, and French literature from St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai and a master’s degree in political science and government from Lady Shri Ram College for Women at Delhi University. She also has a master’s degree in language translation and interpretation from the Monterey Institute of International Studies at Middlebury.