After Military Setback Against India, Pakistan's Last-Ditch Diplomatic Push

Pakistan is mounting a wide-ranging diplomatic campaign aimed at salvaging its global standing and countering India's own diplomatic outreach following the April 22 terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.

The Pakistani government, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has launched two simultaneous diplomatic missions to multiple capitals across the world, backed by experienced politicians and former diplomats. The goal, according to Pakistan's Foreign Office, is to "project Pakistan's perspective on the recent Indian aggression" and call for dialogue over confrontation.

This move follows closely on the heels of India conducting its own global outreach, dispatching seven multi-party parliamentary delegations to 33 countries, presenting its case against terrorism and demanding international pressure on Pakistan to act decisively against terrorist groups operating from its soil.

The Pakistani Deployment

A nine-member Pakistani delegation is currently travelling to New York, Washington DC, London, and Brussels. Headed by former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the team includes prominent figures such as Federal Minister Musadik Malik, former foreign ministers Hina Rabbani Khar and Khurram Dastgir Khan, and bureaucrats like former foreign secretaries Jalil Abbas Jilani and Tehmina Janjua.

A second team, led by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi, has been dispatched to Moscow. 

The Foreign Office in Islamabad has said that the delegations will meet the leadership of international institutions, think tanks, the diaspora, and key government officials to press Pakistan's point of view. 

Context Of The Conflict

On April 22, 26 civilians were killed in Pahalgam in a terrorist attack that India has squarely blamed on the Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed. This triggered a strong response from India. On May 7, India launched targeted precision strikes on terror camps across the Line of Control (LoC), including locations deep inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Pakistan retaliated with attempted attacks on Indian military infrastructure on May 8, 9, and 10. These were repelled, with India retaining complete air superiority. Hostilities ceased on May 10 after a military-to-military communication between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both countries, restoring a fragile calm along the LoC.

Pakistan's Diplomatic Failure In Malaysia

In a parallel front, Pakistan sought to derail an Indian parliamentary delegation's visit to Malaysia by invoking Islamic solidarity and lobbying local officials to cancel scheduled engagements. The attempt was unsuccessful.

The Indian delegation, led by JDU MP Sanjay Jha and composed of representatives from BJP, Congress, CPM, TMC, and other parties, carried out its diplomatic mission unhindered. It was part of India's post-conflict diplomatic offensive to expose Pakistan's support for cross-border terrorism and to rally international support.

The delegation's engagements in Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, and Malaysia included high-level meetings and public diplomacy aimed at countering Islamabad's propaganda. Pakistan's efforts to raise the Kashmir issue reportedly failed to gain traction with any of the host governments.

UN, G7, and FATF: Pakistan's Mixed Fortunes

Despite its outreach, Pakistan's diplomatic efforts have yielded limited concrete support on international platforms.

There has been no movement on FATF sanctions. Pakistan remains on its grey list, and India's demand for blacklisting has not progressed.

The G7 has not issued a coordinated condemnation of Pakistan. While some member countries have made generic statements denouncing terrorism, none have directly censured Islamabad.

India has not been invited to the G7 summit for the first time in five years. Though India is not a G7 member, Prime Minister Modi had attended all summits since 2019. This year's summit, hosted by Canada, is clouded by strained India-Canada relations, including last year's allegations linking India to the killing of a Sikh separatist in British Columbia.

Pakistan will chair the Taliban Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council for 2025 and will be vice-chair of the Counter-Terrorism Committee of the 15-nation UN body. 

Voices From Indian Delegation

Speaking after his return, Sanjay Jha described the global response as "unequivocal condemnation" of the Pahalgam terror attack and "broad support" for India's narrative.

"Four or five important points emerged. Firstly, the entire country stands united. Secondly, every country we visited strongly condemned terrorism. Thirdly, India targeted only terrorist infrastructure with restraint. Fourthly, the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is returning to normal, with flights resuming and Cabinet meetings being held in Pahalgam. And finally, we demanded action by FATF against Pakistan," Mr Jha said.

MP Aparajita Sarangi echoed this, adding, "Over 14 days, we visited five countries. Every one of them stands with India."

John Brittas of the CPM added: "Our mission was to sensitise other countries to the threat India faces and to seek solidarity in the fight against terrorism."