Copy-paste diplomacy? Pakistan to send its "peace" delegation on global stage after India's all-party outreach on terrorism
In the wake of India's Operation Sindoor, which has drawn international attention to Islamabad's support for terrorism, Pakistan is scrambling to salvage its global image. Attempting to mirror New Delhi's recent diplomatic moves, Pakistan has now announced plans to send a delegation abroad to present its case for 'peace,' news agency ANI reported. The move comes after India constituted seven multi-party delegations to brief global leaders on its counter-terror operation and the country's united stance against cross-border terrorism.
According to ANI, Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Saturday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had asked him to lead a peace delegation on behalf of Pakistan.
'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,' Bhutto Zardari said in a Facebook post.
ANI noted that Pakistan's move is being widely seen as a desperate attempt to repair its tarnished international reputation, especially in light of accusations linking it to decades of sponsoring terrorism in the region. Bhutto Zardari's delegation is likely to face diplomatic headwinds, given the credibility challenges Pakistan faces, particularly after its retaliatory actions following India's Operation Sindoor—India's military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Earlier on Saturday, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju announced that seven Indian all-party delegations will travel to key global capitals, including members of the United Nations Security Council. These delegations aim to present a united front against terrorism and share details of Operation Sindoor.The delegations will be led by Shashi Tharoor (Congress), Ravi Shankar Prasad (BJP), Sanjay Kumar Jha (JDU), Baijayant Panda (BJP), Kanimozhi Karunanidhi (DMK), Supriya Sule (NCP-SP), and Shrikant Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena).'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.According to ANI, each delegation comprises Members of Parliament across party lines, senior politicians, and diplomats, showcasing India's political consensus on combating terrorism.Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, reportedly targeted infrastructure linked to terror outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen, resulting in the elimination of over 100 terrorists, according to ANI. In response, Pakistan reportedly launched retaliatory shelling and attempted drone strikes, to which India responded with targeted attacks on Pakistani military infrastructure.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
10 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Justice Tiruvarur Muthuswami Iyer statue in Chennai: Remembering an icon of the Madras High Court
The history of Chennai can never be complete without a reference to the 163-year-old Madras High Court functioning from a 133-year-old heritage building. The history of the High Court as well as its building can never be concluded without recording admiration for the imposing white marble statue of Sir Justice Tiruvarur Muthuswami Iyer. Born on January 28, 1832 at Uchuvadi in Thanjavur (then called Tanjore) district, his childhood was a grim struggle due to poverty. Yet, he rose to become the first Indian judge of the Madras High Court in 1878 and held the office till his death on January 25, 1895. In 1898, the then Chief Justice Sir Arthur John Hammond Collins installed his marble statue. Located at a commanding position that serves as the nucleus to the High Court building, the statue of Justice Muthuswami Iyer is a tribute to a judge who used to remove his footwear before climbing up the court dais to deliver justice. Even today, scores of lawyers and court staff begin their daily work only after circumambulating his statue and paying floral tributes. What could never be missed in the pages of history is that there was strong opposition from a section of Europeans to the appointment of an Indian as a judge of the High Court. It was this opposition that triggered the birth of The Hindu in 1878 primarily to support the elevation of an Indian to the very high judicial office during the British Raj and to counter the opposition.
The Hindu
10 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Cotton import duty exemption a death warrant to farmers, says Samyukt Kisan Morcha
The Union Textile Ministry said in New Delhi on Tuesday (August 19, 2025) that the decision to exempt all customs duties on the import of raw cotton until September 30 was meant to stabilise domestic cotton prices and support the textile industry. Meanwhile, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella organisation of several farmers' outfits, alleged that the move signalled a death warrant to cotton farmers. The SKM said it strongly protested the notification to eliminate the import tariff on cotton as it would have a direct impact on the domestic price of cotton. 'Cotton price will definitely fall and farmers will face further distress and indebtedness,' the SKM said, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of duplicity and betrayal, and asking him to explain his earlier statement that farmers were his government's highest priority. In the past 11 years, the SKM said cotton farmers were never given a minimum support price for cotton, as recommended by the M.S. Swaminathan Commission. 'The entire cotton area is the highest peasant suicide prone region of India. The elimination of import duty on cotton will further eliminate the livelihood of lakhs of cotton farmer households,' the SKM said. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Textiles said in a statement that the exemption includes the removal of both the 5% Basic Customs Duty, the 5% Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess, and a 10% Social Welfare Surcharge on both, cumulatively resulting in an 11% import duty on cotton. 'The decision, notified by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, is expected to lower input costs across the textile value chain encompassing yarn, fabric, garments, and made-ups and provide much needed relief to manufacturers and consumers alike,' the Ministry said, adding that the government aims to enhance the availability of raw cotton in the domestic market, stabilise cotton prices, and thereby reduce inflationary pressure on finished textile products, and support export competitiveness of Indian textile products by lowering production costs. The move will protect small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the textile sector, which are more vulnerable to price fluctuations, the government said.
The Hindu
10 minutes ago
- The Hindu
After CSDS psephologist deletes X post, BJP accuses Congress of making 'baseless claims' on voter fraud
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday (August 19, 2025) accused the Congress of making 'baseless' claims about 'vote theft' and targeting the Election Commission of India in 'collusion' with a Delhi-based think tank. This came after Sanjay Kumar, a psephologist and a professor with the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), who had shared voter data from two Maharashtra Assembly seats related to last year's State election in a post on X on Sunday (August 17, 2025), subsequently deleted his post on Tuesday (August 19, 2025), apologising for posting erroneous data. The post had claimed a significant decrease in voter numbers in two Assembly seats in the State election compared to the 2024 general election, which was held nearly six months earlier. 'Fake data' Reacting sharply, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia lashed out at Mr. Kumar for posting 'false data' which he claimed was used by the Opposition to target the EC, calling it a 'dangerous game'. 'This survey organisation [CSDS] is nothing but a puppet at the hands of leaders like Rahul Gandhi who could not win people's trust. He needs such an organisation which can provide fake data and facts so that he can make baseless allegations,' Mr. Bhatia said. 'Congress leader Pawan Khera tweets on this and then deletes. Rahul Gandhi's baseless allegations are also based on CSDS data,' he added. Deleting his post on Tuesday (August 19, 2025), Mr. Kumar wrote on X, 'I sincerely apologise for the tweets posted regarding Maharashtra elections. An error occurred while comparing the data of 2024 LS and 2024 AS. The data in the row was misread by our Data team.' The erroneous tweet has since been removed, he said, adding, 'I had no intention of dispersing any form of misinformation.'
