- By Supratik Das
- Sun, 18 May 2025 07:48 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has named former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to head a diplomatic mission to raise Pakistan's "case for peace" before the world. This comes hot on the heels of Indian diplomatic efforts under Operation Sindoor, which has witnessed several delegations of parliamentarians being sent to world capitals in a united stance against terrorism.
India's Operation Sindoor
India's counter terrorism initiative under Operation Sindoor was initiated in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack. Indian military carried out missile strikes on May 7 on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, including the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) stronghold of Bahawalpur and the LeT's base at Muridke in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. The Government of India made seven top-level, all-party delegations move across the globe to convey a firm message against terrorism, reiterating its policy of zero tolerance.
Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, announced on social media the names of MPs and prominent individuals who will be involved. “Seven all-party delegations will soon engage key nations under Operation Sindoor, reflecting our collective resolve against terrorism,” he wrote on X.
Some of the prominent participants include:
• Taranjeet Sandhu, ex-Indian Ambassador to the US and 2024 BJP candidate to the Lok Sabha from Amritsar.
• Javed Ashraf, ex-Indian Ambassador to France.
• Former Ministers of State for External Affairs, M.J. Akbar and V. Muraleedharan.
Each delegation is accompanied by senior external affairs ministry bureaucrats to provide strategic depth and consistency in India's messaging.
Pakistan's Familiar Script
In a typical pattern, Pakistan has followed India's diplomatic approach, declaring a global outreach initiative soon after India's delegations were announced. Ex-foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari declared on X that he was approached by PM Shehbaz Sharif to head the mission. “I was contacted earlier today by Prime Minister @CMShehbaz, 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,” Bhutto posted.
Not The First Copycat Move By Islamabad
This is not the first instance of Pakistan copying India. Soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a visit to the Adampur airbase in Punjab, where he spoke to soldiers behind the S-400 air defence system, Shehbaz Sharif made a visit to Pakistan's Sialkot army base. While on his visit, Sharif spoke to Pakistani soldiers and made controversial claims of "victory". Defence experts have since widely repudiated Pakistan's account, pointing to the magnitude and accuracy of India's retaliatory strikes in Operation Sindoor.