Pakistan has once again copied India’s strategy by deciding to send its representatives on the global stage and present its “case for peace.”
In the aftermath of India’s Operation Sindoor, which has exposed Pakistan’s deep ties to terrorism on the world stage, Islamabad is trying to salvage its global image. In an effort to mimic New Delhi’s recent diplomatic initiatives, Pakistan has announced it will send a delegation abroad to make its “case for peace.” This decision comes after India formed seven multi-party delegations to update global leaders on its counter-terror operation and showcase the country’s unified stand against cross-border terrorism.
Pakistan’s Copy-paste diplomacy
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday said that Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had asked him to lead a delegation to present Pakistan’s case on the recent escalations of tensions between the two nations.
“I was contacted earlier today by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who requested that I lead a delegation to present Pakistan’s case for peace on the international stage. I am honoured to accept this responsibility and remain committed to serving Pakistan in these challenging times,” Zardari said in a post on Facebook.
The announcement highlights Pakistan’s urgent effort to mend its damaged reputation, as it continues to face widespread international criticism for its long-standing support of terrorism.
Bhutto Zardari’s delegation is likely to face an uphill battle, as Pakistan’s credibility has been severely undermined by its failure to curb terrorism and its retaliatory actions that targeted Indian civilians as its response to Operation Sindoor, which targeted nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Earlier, Pakistan mimicked India when its Prime Minister visited the Sialkot military base, copying Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s earlier visit to the Adampur airbase in Punjab, where he interacted with air force personnel. Modi had also addressed the troops with the S-400 air defense system displayed behind him, a system Pakistan had falsely claimed to have downed. Likewise, Shehbaz Sharif visited the Sialkot base, spoke to Pakistani soldiers, and proclaimed “victory” over India in the brief four-day conflict.
India to send all-party delegations to key nations
In a significant message of zero-tolerance against terrorism, the Central Government will send seven all-party delegations to key partner countries, including members of the UN Security council later in the month of May following Operation Sindoor and Pahalgam attack to assert India’s continued fight against cross-border terrorism.
Fifty-one political leaders, parliamentarians and former ministers cutting across party lines will be part of the seven delegations travelling to world capitals to put across India’s resolve to tackle terrorism against the backdrop of Operation Sindoor. The delegations led by Baijayant Panda, Ravi Shankar Prasad (both BJP), Sanjay Kumar Jha (JDU), Shrikant Shinde (Shiv Sena), Shashi Tharoor (Congress), Kanimozhi (DMK) and Supriya Sule (NCP-SP) will visit a total of 32 countries and the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
Each delegation comprises seven or eight political leaders and is assisted by former diplomats. Of the 51 political leaders, 31 are part of the ruling NDA, while the remaining 20 are from the non-NDA parties. All seven delegations have at least one Muslim representation, either among politicians or diplomats.
Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, leading to the death of over 100 terrorists affiliated with terror outfits like the Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen. After the attack, Pakistan retaliated with cross-border shelling across the Line of Control and Jammu and Kashmir as well as attempted drone attacks along the border regions, following which India launched a coordinated attack and damaged radar infrastructure, communication centres and airfields across 11 airbases in Pakistan.
(With ANI inputs)
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