Tharoor, Owaisi, other Opposition leaders in Govt's mega diplomatic outreach on Pahalgam terror attack

The Union government is planning to send teams of political leaders, former diplomats and experts to countries in key regions of the world to articulate India’s point of view on the Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent clashes with Pakistan, Hindustan Times reported, quoting people familiar with the matter.

Among the parliamentarians from the opposition camp who are expected to be roped in for the outreach are Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, the current chair of the parliamentary standing committee on external affairs, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi.

Azad is being considered as he is a prominent face from Kashmir who can speak on issues related to the region and cross-border terrorism, Hindustan Times said. Owaisi, the Member of Parliament (MP) from Hyderabad, has been arguably the most vocal voice against Pakistan in the opposition camp in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack.

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 to destroy terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir in retaliation for the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people, mostly tourists.

Govt reaches out to all parties

The government has also reached out to leaders of the Congress, Janata Dal (United), Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and NCP-Pawar.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government began sounding out political leaders and parliamentarians from across the political spectrum, former diplomats, and representatives of think tanks and other bodies on the planned diplomatic outreach this past week.

The government plans to form up to eight separate groups that will fan out to different regions of the world such as Europe, North America and West Asia and visit key capitals, especially India’s strategic partners. The outreach will also include countries of the Global South, the report said.

The groups will engage with lawmakers, officials and think tanks to convey India’s position on “cross-border linkages” to the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.

The two countries engaged in four days of intense confrontation, with both sides using drones, missiles and long-range weapons, raising concerns about an all-out war after India's strike on terror bases in Pakistan. The two sides, however, reached an understanding on halting military actions on May 10 which has been reportedly extended to May 18.