At the UN General Assembly's Third Committee, an Indian diplomat rejected Pakistan's portrayal of India and said Pakistan's military holds real power.

BulletsIn

• India's First Secretary at its Permanent Mission to the UN, Raghoo Puri, rebutted Pakistan's remarks at the UN General Assembly's Third Committee.
• The exchange came during a dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues on Saturday.
• Puri accused Pakistan of trying to paint a "propagandist picture" of India at the United Nations.
• He said Pakistan's "Form 47" government does not dare override instructions from the military, which he called the country's real rulers.
• Form 47 is an official Pakistani election document recording provisional constituency results, and the term has become shorthand for contested electoral legitimacy.
• Critics used the term after Pakistan's February 2024 general elections, which were marred by allegations of rigging.
• India also pressed its long-held position that Pakistan, not India, has stalled the functioning of SAARC.
• SAARC has been on hold since 2016, when India pulled out of the Islamabad summit over cross-border terrorism.
• India has leaned towards alternative regional groupings such as BIMSTEC that do not include Pakistan.