India is telling the World about the findings of the Indian Government on Pahalgam Terrorist attack and the details of the Operation Sindoor. Meanwhile, Pakistan is set to launch its own counter diplomatic mission led by Chairman of Pakistan’s People’s Party – Bilawal Bhutto.
The 36 year old former foreign minister of Pakistan is going to be the face of Pakistan’s toughest diplomatic mission in years. Pakistan’s global reputation will depend on this effort of counter-diplomacy.
On 17 May morning, the Bhutto family Scion posted, “Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif requested that I lead a peace delegation abroad. I have accepted.” Pakistani media soon confirmed that Bilawal Bhutto will spearhead the counter-offensive against India’s ‘Operation Sindoor’” narrative abroad.
Bilawal once stated when asked about forming coalition government with PMLN “Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me”. And then Bilawal’s party surprisingly made a coalition government with PMLN (Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz). That too, without any cabinet position. His party claimed to support PML-N from the “Outside”.
Why Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif’s choice of Bilawal Bhutto seems like Scapegoat tactics :
India has already launched its diplomatic offensive with leaders from various parties in India highlighting Pakistan’s role in sponsoring terrorism. Bilawal’s mission likely to start from June which will keep Islamabad in response mode.
Pakistan’s usable reserves will be another concern for Bilawal in his mission. According to a recent State Bank Data, the usable reserves of Pakistan is only 5 billion US$. This will make it difficult for Bhutto securing financial help from Gulf Countries and China.
USA is sceptical about Pakistan after the 2021 Kabul withdrawal. Pakistani ISI’s role in supporting Taliban during the withdrawal is debated. Americans will not be easily convinced by Bilawal to influence the UN for Islamabad. Apparently, the Pakistan’s People’s Party Chairman is being considered as the “Chief Envoy” and a “Volunteer”.
Choice of Bhutto might be because he served as the Foreign Minister of Pakistan and is expected to be familiar with diplomacy. Though his diplomatic skills are criticized at home as he is often referred to as a “Tiktok Diplomat” in social media. The fact that he is young and presentable for the West talk shows seems good enough for PML-N. It also gives the mission a bipartisan look and leaves space for Shehbaz Sharif to shift blame .
As per reports, Bilawal will be accompanied by Sherry Rehman, Hina Rabbani Khar, Tehmina Janjua and ex-envoy Jalil Abbas Jilani. These people have a little influence in Punjab, the PML-N heartland. Again, the model resembles an outsourced counter diplomatic mission than being inclusive.
Whatever the outcome of the mission, Pakistani Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif will profit from it . Even an average successful mission with loans and zero sanctions will be seen as a strategic masterstroke by PML-N. If the mission fails, everyone in Pakistan will know where to put the blame.
In 1965, a 37 year old Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto went on a similar mission under then Field Marshal Ayub Khan to ease Indo-Pak tensions after Rann of Kutch escalation. Later that year, a full scale war broke out and Ayub Khan blamed Zulfikar Bhutto even though the mission was appreciated by many.
60 years later, another Bhutto likely to go abroad promising to bring peace. The uncanny resemblance here is hard to miss as history seems to repeat itself for Pakistan.
