As tensions quietly smoulder across South Asia, Islamabad lashes out against what it claims is a calculated Indian campaign to tarnish Pakistan’s global standing
By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered the formation of a high-powered diplomatic mission aimed at confronting what Pakistan sees as a sustained disinformation campaign by India and reaffirming Islamabad’s commitment to regional peace. The Prime Minister’s Office on Saturday released a statement confirming the development and revealed that Shehbaz personally reached out to Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, asking him to head the delegation.
The move comes at a time when tensions in South Asia are once again simmering beneath the surface, with Islamabad increasingly vocal about what it calls India’s attempts to malign Pakistan’s international image. The delegation, described as both political and diplomatic in character, features some of Pakistan’s most seasoned voices in foreign affairs and governance, including Dr Musadik Malik, Khurram Dastgir, Sherry Rehman, Hina Rabbani Khar, Faisal Subzwari, Tehmina Janjua, and Jalil Abbas Jilani.
Their itinerary is as ambitious as their mission. London, Washington, Paris, and Brussels are among the key capitals the team will visit in the coming weeks, as Islamabad looks to mount a coordinated effort to push back against narratives it says are aimed at isolating Pakistan on the world stage. Officials close to the development say the prime minister is keen to reassert Pakistan’s place in the global diplomatic conversation, particularly at a time when competing interests in the region have begun to harden international attitudes.
The delegation’s primary objective, according to the official communique, is to expose India’s “disinformation campaigns and destabilizing strategies” across South Asia. But alongside that, they will also be tasked with explaining Pakistan’s diplomatic and peace-oriented posture, a strategy that Islamabad hopes will resonate in Western capitals traditionally seen as wary yet watchful observers of subcontinental rivalries.
By choosing Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to spearhead this mission, Shehbaz Sharif appears to be reaching across political lines while banking on Bhutto’s recent experience as foreign minister and his growing profile on the global stage. The inclusion of other high-profile names suggests the government wants to present a united front, both politically and diplomatically, as it prepares to engage in what could be a critical round of global perception-building.
