‘Monkey see, monkey do’: Pakistan to send its ‘peace’ delegation on global stage after India's diplomatic move

In a move that appears to mimic India's recent diplomatic manoeuvres—where New Delhi has dispatched seven multi-party delegations to represent the country at international forums and inform global leaders about Operation Sindoor—Pakistan has hesitantly announced its own delegation to advocate for ‘peace’ on the world stage.

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This development followed a statement by Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday, in which he revealed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had appointed him to lead a delegation.

The purpose of the delegation is to present Pakistan's stance regarding the recent rise in tensions between India and Pakistan.

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“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 reflects Pakistan's desperate attempt to repair its tarnished reputation as it bore its longstanding support for terrorism, drawing widespread international criticism.

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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).

India's diplomatic delegation

Earlier on Saturday, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju announced a seven multi-party delegation who will be visiting key partner countries, including members of the UN Security Council, later this month in the context of Operation Sindoor and India's continued fight against cross-border terrorism.

The following MPs will lead the seven delegations: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad, JDU leader Sanjay Kumar Jha, BJP leader Baijayant Panda, DMK leader Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule, and Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Eknath Shinde.

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“In moments that matter most, Bharat stands united. Seven All-Party Delegations will soon visit key partner nations, carrying our shared message of zero tolerance to terrorism. A powerful reflection of national unity above politics, beyond differences,” Rijiju said in a post on X.

The All-Party Delegations will project India's national consensus and resolute approach to combating terrorism in all forms and manifestations. They would carry forth to the world the country's strong message of zero tolerance against terrorism.

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The Members of Parliament from different parties, prominent political personalities, and distinguished diplomats will be part of each delegation.

This came after India's decisive military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

Operation Sindoor

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 inputs from ANI)