Monitoring Desk
In a significant diplomatic push, Pakistan has dispatched a high-level delegation to the United States to present its case on recent regional tensions with India, counter New Delhi’s growing lobbying efforts, and engage with key international stakeholders across both official and informal tracks.
Led by former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, the multi-member team includes prominent political and diplomatic figures: Hina Rabbani Khar, Senator Sherry Rehman, Jalil Abbas Jilani, Tehmina Janjua, Dr. Musadik Malik, Khurram Dastgir Khan, Bushra Anjum Butt, and Faisal Sabzwari. The delegation arrived in New York on Sunday and is set to begin engagements from June 3.
The visit is part of a broader outreach strategy aimed at reshaping international narratives surrounding the Pakistan-India dynamic — particularly in light of what Islamabad sees as India’s “escalatory moves” and efforts to internationalise the issue on terms detrimental to Pakistan.
The group is scheduled to meet United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, the president of the UN General Assembly, ambassadors of all five permanent members of the UN Security Council, and will also address a joint session of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) envoys in New York.
Additionally, the delegation plans to engage with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, senior White House and State Department officials, key members of Congress, think tanks, and major media outlets.
“This is no longer just about border skirmishes,” a senior Pakistani diplomat told Dawn. “This is about shaping the international narrative to reflect ground realities — before the Indian version becomes dominant.”
Islamabad has expressed concern that India is attempting to reignite scrutiny over Pakistan in multilateral forums like the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the UN, despite Pakistan having exited the FATF grey list in 2022 after a comprehensive reform process.
“This is a political campaign masquerading as financial oversight,” one official remarked, in reference to India’s lobbying to revisit Pakistan’s FATF status. “There’s no technical or legal basis to reopen that file.”
Senator Sherry Rehman emphasised that Pakistan’s messaging will be grounded in facts and evidence. “We have our own agenda to advance, but yes, when Indian allegations are brought up, make no mistake — we will use forensic chapter and factual verse. Myth will not be allowed to become the message on Pakistan this time.”
A separate delegation from Pakistan — likely to be led by Commerce Minister Jam Kamal — is also expected in the U.S. soon to hold trade-related discussions with American officials, indicating Islamabad’s two-pronged approach: security and diplomacy on one track, and economic outreach on the other.
Meanwhile, India has also mobilised its diplomatic machinery. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor is expected to arrive in Washington on June 3 for engagements in parallel with the Pakistani delegation, while Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri wrapped up a three-day official visit to the U.S. last week.
In a related development, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, during a recent phone call, agreed to deepen cooperation at multilateral forums, particularly within the United Nations framework. The two diplomats committed to maintaining contact and holding further discussions on the sidelines of upcoming high-level UN events in New York later this month.
As the diplomatic temperature rises, both Islamabad and New Delhi are clearly seeking to win the battle of narratives — not just in South Asia, but on the global stage.
