India calls Pakistan terror sponsor, army regime at UNGA

India used its reply at the United Nations General Assembly to sharply criticize Pakistan after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's address, calling the country a state sponsor of terrorism and describing its government as an army regime, according to a Hindustan Times report published on Friday.

The Indian delegation's remarks were captured in videos that accompanied the report. The report said India 'tore into' the Pakistani prime minister's UNGA claims, indicating a forceful rebuttal, though the specific claims made by Mr Sharif were not detailed in the retrievable content.

The exchange is the latest in a long series of confrontations between the two neighbours at the United Nations, where each side regularly uses its right of reply to accuse the other over issues including cross-border militancy and human rights.

India has repeatedly labelled Pakistan a sponsor of terrorism, while Pakistan denies the charge and accuses India of committing abuses in Kashmir and of suppressing dissent at home. The reference to an 'army regime' appeared to target the role of Pakistan's military in governance, a claim Pakistani officials reject.

The Hindustan Times report did not include the full text of the Indian statement in the version available to this desk. It was not immediately clear whether Pakistan's UN mission responded to the Indian remarks.

The UN General Assembly session is taking place in New York, where world leaders have gathered for the annual high-level debate. Pakistan's prime minister addressed the assembly earlier in the day, and India exercised its right of reply afterward.

The accusation of 'army regime' is a direct attack on Pakistan's political system, which India has long characterized as military-dominated. Pakistan rejects such characterization.

The Hindustan Times report, published as a video story, was among the first to highlight India's response. It remains to be seen whether the exchange will escalate further.

The Hindustan Times is an Indian publication, and its reporting reflects the Indian government's position on Pakistan. Independent confirmation of the specific language used by the Indian delegate was not available from Pakistani or international sources at the time of filing.