In a clear diplomatic copycat move of India’s recent international push, Pakistan has announced its own political delegation to visit key Western capitals including London, Washington, Paris and Brussels.
The delegation will be led by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and includes prominent political and diplomatic figures such as Dr Musadiq Malik, Engineer Khurram Dastagir, Senator Sherry Rehman, Hina Rabbani Khar, Faisal Sabzwari, Tehmina Janjua, and Jalil Abbas Jilani.
This move comes days after India released an ambitious plan to send seven all-party delegations of Members of Parliament abroad to present the country’s stance on the recent flare-up with Pakistan following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and India’s subsequent retaliatory military action, Operation Sindoor.
India’s outreach aims to highlight Pakistan’s role in cross-border terrorism and to rally international support. The delegations, representing a wide political spectrum, are tasked with visiting global capitals, engaging foreign governments, media, and civil society to reinforce India’s message of zero tolerance towards terrorism.
Leading one of the delegations is senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who was selected despite recent tensions within his party over his public endorsement of the government’s military response. Tharoor expressed gratitude, saying,
“When national interest is involved, and my services are required, I will not be found wanting.”
Other MPs heading Indian delegations include:
- Ravi Shankar Prasad (BJP) – covering Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Algeria
- Sanjay Kumar Jha (JDU) – visiting Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia
- Baijayant Panda (BJP) – location undisclosed
- Kanimozhi Karunanidhi (DMK)
- Supriya Sule (NCP) – visiting Oman, Kenya, South Africa, Egypt
- Shrikant Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena)
India’s multi-party teams, each comprising 5–7 MPs, will visit several countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and South Africa, starting later this month. The effort is being coordinated by Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju, who emphasised that “in moments that matter most, Bharat stands united.”
Notably, this outreach comes at a time when Pakistan is facing increased international scrutiny for its alleged harbouring of terror networks. Analysts suggest Islamabad’s hastily announced tour may be an attempt to counter India’s diplomatic momentum.
A recent India Today opinion piece described the initiative as “a masterstroke of optics”, particularly with Tharoor and AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi touted as ideal candidates to challenge Pakistan’s narrative globally—combining eloquence with legal acumen.
Following India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, Zardari stirred controversy with a provocative speech, declaring, “Whether water flows in this Indus or their blood.” In a scathing response, Indian Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri suggested Zardari should “get his mental condition checked” and sarcastically told him to “jump somewhere in water”—questioning how he could if there would be no water left. Zardari later attempted to soften his stance in May, claiming Pakistan remained open to peace with India, a shift that further fuelled public mockery of his earlier aggressive tone. Most recently, Zardari was widely mocked online after a video clip went viral, with many users ridiculing his dramatic rhetoric.
While India’s present outreach has been framed as a bipartisan national effort, Pakistan’s move is being viewed as reactive, lacking a clear message or unified domestic consensus.
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