Saturday, March 29, 2025
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has once again drawn sharp criticism after making unverified claims at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). During his address in New York on Friday, Sharif alleged that Pakistani fighter jets had shot down seven Indian aircraft earlier this year. His statement, however, has been widely dismissed as false propaganda, with India emphasizing that Pakistan has provided no evidence to support such claims.
Sharif declared before world leaders, “Our falcons (pilots) took to the skies and turned seven Indian jets into scrap.” The Pakistani leader further argued that his country had acted only in “self-defense” after what he described as an “unprovoked attack” from the eastern front in May.
Indian officials were quick to counter the narrative. The Indian Air Force has repeatedly labeled Pakistan’s earlier claims of shooting down five Indian aircraft as baseless. Instead, New Delhi maintains that during Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, 2025, in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, Indian fighter jets downed five Pakistani combat aircraft and one large military plane.
The terror strike in Pahalgam, carried out by the Pakistan-based group TRF, killed 26 civilians on Indian soil, prompting India’s large-scale military response. According to Indian sources, the losses on Pakistan’s side forced Islamabad to request a ceasefire within days.
Despite his controversial claims, Sharif attempted to present Pakistan as a proponent of peace. He told the UN, “Pakistan believes in resolving disputes through dialogue and diplomacy. We are ready for a comprehensive and result-oriented dialogue with India on all outstanding issues.”
The Pakistani Prime Minister also used his platform to praise U.S. President Donald Trump, crediting him with helping prevent wider war in South Asia. Sharif went so far as to announce Pakistan’s nomination of Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, saying, “This is the least we can do. I believe he truly symbolizes peace.”
Sharif’s remarks come against the backdrop of Pakistan’s military setbacks during Operation Sindoor and rising domestic criticism of his leadership. For India, the Prime Minister’s claims are seen as a continuation of Islamabad’s pattern of making unsubstantiated assertions at international forums.
